IITs, NITs To Offer Engineering Courses In Mother Tongue From Next Academic Year: Pokhriyal

A few Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) will start offering engineering courses in mother tongue for the academic session 2021-22.  The government has taken this decision at a high-level review meeting chaired by Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal on Thursday. Pokhriyal tweeted that, "A seminal decision was also made during the meeting that Engineering courses imparting #education in mother tongue will be opened from next academic year. A few IITs & NITs are being shortlisted for the same."

“A seminal decision was made to start technical education, especially engineering courses (in mother tongues) … imparting education in mother tongue will be opened from next academic year. A few IIT and NIT are being shortlisted for the same,” a press statement from the ministry read.

According to a director of an IIT, "It will be impossible, especially in the short term to implement this. After one has to offer all languages as medium of instruction in the IIT as we get students from all states and it won't be fair to deny even a single student if he/she wants to study in say Odia or Telugu. Where will we find so many faculties to teach such a wide range of students? In fact, we are now struggling to find faculty even in English! State engineering colleges can gradually implement the same offering the courses in the state language."

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will come out with the syllabus for competitive exams after assessment of the existing scenario in various boards. He also directed the officials to ensure all scholarships, fellowships are disbursed in time & start a helpline for the same and address the grievances of students immediately.