Engineering At IITs In Mother Tongue: Good Idea?

The union ministry of education contemplates instruction in mother tongue for engineering courses in IITs and other technical institutions. This sparked off intense discussion in academic circles on the feasibility and rather desirability of such a move. There is a more remarkable unanimity on the need to remove language bias at the entry-level. Students unfamiliar with the English language should not be deprived of equitable opportunities to enter premier technical institutions. This requires the entrance examinations to be held in all recognized Indian languages.

Many technically proficient students find it challenging to get through the engineering courses due to language barriers. However, mother tongue as a medium of instruction in engineering and other professional courses requires long-term planning. 

The premier technical institutions, especially IITs, want their students to access global research in the concerned disciplines. English is the lingua franca of global communication, commerce, and economy. Knowledge is stored and transmitted mostly in English.

Indian students need to learn English to acquire this knowledge. Unless global research literature is made available in all Indian languages, mere instruction in mother tongue in premier engineering colleges may end up as a liability than an asset.

Faculty, textbooks, teaching-learning material etc, should also be available in Indian languages. This requires long term preparation and training.  Logistic challenges may prove to be a significant impediment in translating the idea into practice.

Ultimately, the user industry has a stake in this issue. Employment opportunities are critical. The policy should not be a hindrance to employability. Thus, academic issues that require a wider dialogue and a long term preparation cannot be held hostage to emotive prejudices.

Several countries like Germany, Japan, have shown the way. Instruction in mother tongue need not necessarily mean disincentivizing English. Students need to have a choice in this regard. Manpower requirements for domestic and global economies may vary. Aspirational India cannot also summarily ignore the imperative of an emerging global economy. Language should be a facilitator rather than a hurdle. Language barriers should not be allowed to impede technological progress. Therefore, a balanced view free from emotions, prejudices, and dogma is necessary on this primarily academic question that has far-reaching implications for the lives of young Indians and the Indian economy alike.

By Prof K Nageshwar

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