Bihar introduces French and German language courses in 15 engineering colleges
The Bihar government on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) launched foreign language courses in French and German across 15 Government Engineering Colleges, under the Department of Science, Technology and Technical Education (DSTTE). The initiative, which marks a significant step towards enhancing global readiness among students, was formally inaugurated through an online ceremony chaired by Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena.
The virtual event was held in the Chief Secretary's conference hall in Patna, and was attended by DSTTE Secretary Dr. Pratima, along with principals, faculty, and students from all 38 government engineering colleges who joined the session live from their respective institutions.
A detailed presentation by Dr. Pratima outlined the objectives, implementation strategy, and roadmap for expansion. The programme, currently in its pilot phase, is expected to be scaled up to include all government engineering colleges in the State.
In his address, Mr. Meena highlighted the relevance of foreign language proficiency for engineering graduates in an increasingly interconnected world. Drawing from his own background in technical education, he said that knowledge of languages such as French, German and Japanese significantly improves cross-cultural communication, international employability, and academic mobility.
He commended the progress made in Bihar's technical education landscape over the past decade, attributing the transformation to the vision laid out by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in 2015. 'Under the guiding principle of Aarthik Bal, Yuvaon Ka Hal (Economic Stability, Solutions for Youth), Bihar has witnessed advancements in infrastructure, curriculum reform, and faculty appointments,' Mr. Meena said.
He added that the inclusion of foreign languages in technical institutions would further augment the State's efforts to enhance students' global outreach. Mr. Meena recommended the addition of Japanese language courses to strengthen employability in the East Asian industrial sphere.
The Chief Secretary also urged the department to forge international academic collaborations through Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with foreign universities and institutions, facilitating student exchange programmes, joint research, and language immersion initiatives.
'With such steps, Bihar's engineering colleges are on the path to becoming Institutes of National Eminence,' Mr. Meena remarked. He also commended Dr. Pratima for her leadership in broadening global learning opportunities for students.
The event included interactive sessions in which students demonstrated their proficiency in French and German through introductory conversations - an early testament to the impact of the initiative. Participants responded positively to the launch, reflecting the growing aspiration among students to develop communication skills that align with international standards.
The DSTTE has been actively pursuing capacity-building programmes across government engineering institutions in the State, with a focus on enhancing employability and academic excellence.
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