UGC Initiates Courses in Local Languages at Higher Education Institutions
New Delhi, 27th January 2024: In a significant move aimed at promoting linguistic diversity and accessibility in higher education, the University Grants Commission (UGC) is set to launch courses in local or mother tongue languages across universities and higher educational institutions nationwide.
As part of this initiative, the UGC has issued directives to all higher educational institutions, emphasizing the need for special faculty training in local languages. In a letter addressed to universities, the UGC outlined plans to initiate the program in February-March, collaborating with the Indian Language Committee to provide training for teachers to conduct classes in the mother tongue.
The UGC has urged institutions to appoint one teacher each who will undergo training as master trainers. Subsequently, these master trainers will be responsible for training other teachers within their respective institutions. Emphasizing the crucial role of teacher readiness, the UGC highlighted that the success of teaching through the mother tongue hinges on the preparedness of educators.
This pioneering initiative aims to boost the Gross Enrollment Ratio (GER) in higher education, which currently stands at around 25 percent. The new National Education Policy aspires to elevate this figure to 50 percent by 2035. A significant hurdle for many students in pursuing higher education lies in the fact that their earlier education was conducted in their mother tongue or local language. Consequently, the courses they wish to pursue are often not offered in these languages, as mentioned in the UGC’s letter.
The UGC has advised all higher educational institutions to thoroughly review study materials prepared in local or mother tongue languages to ensure students can grasp the subjects effectively. Additionally, the UGC has committed to organizing training sessions for teachers to enhance their proficiency in local languages, enabling them to deliver course content more effectively to students.
