Latest news with #BharatiyaBhasha
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Local languages to be medium of instruction in higher edu: Min
Indore: In the coming years, Indian and local languages will become the primary medium of instruction in higher education, said Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan while chairing the second meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Education in Indore on Thursday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The meeting, focused on "Promotion of Education in Bharatiya Bhasha in Higher Education," resulted in renewed commitment toward multilingual education as a foundation for Viksit Bharat by 2047. Pradhan underscored the govt's comprehensive efforts under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 to strengthen mother tongue education. He said that the inclusion of Bharatiya Bhashas in higher education will enhance cognitive development, promote inclusivity, and preserve cultural heritage. "Technology and AI will play a pivotal role in translating academic content and enabling students from rural or economically disadvantaged backgrounds to learn in their preferred language," he added. Members of Parliament appreciated initiatives like Bhasha Sangam, which introduces students to 100 basic sentences in 22 Indian languages. They also welcomed the integration of AI tools such as Anuvadini and UDAAN for translation and multilingual content delivery. Senior officials, including School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar and Higher Education Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi, briefed the Committee on various initiatives, including the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Pariyojna, promotion of regional languages in IITs, and events like Matribhasha Diwas and Kashi Tamil Sangamam. They shared that India identified 1,369 mother tongues grouped into 121 languages, with 22 officially recognised in the Constitution. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Institutions like the Central Hindi Directorate, Central Institute of Indian Languages, and classical language Centres of Excellence are playing a critical role in realising this vision. The recent recognition of Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali as classical languages was also highlighted as a milestone in India's linguistic journey.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Medium of instruction in higher education to prioritise Indian languages: Pradhan
Union Minister for Education Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday (June 6, 2025) said that the medium of instruction in the coming years would primarily be in Indian and local languages. Mr. Pradhan was chairing a meeting of the Consultative Committee of Parliament for the Ministry of Education on the theme of 'Promotion of Education in Bharatiya Bhasha in Higher Education' in Indore, Madhya Pradesh. While addressing the meeting, Mr. Pradhan highlighted the Ministry's efforts in promoting mother tongue education and stressed the importance of integrating 'Bharatiya Bhashas' or Indian languages in both school and higher education. He appreciated the initiatives taken by higher education institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), for introducing courses in regional languages, including technical subjects such as engineering. 'The priority remains to provide books in Indian languages,' he said. Emphasising the role of technology, Mr. Pradhan noted the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in translating content to help students, particularly those from rural or economically weaker backgrounds, understand academic material in their preferred languages. He also mentioned that the Ministry has prepared an educational resource — Bhasha Sangam — which enables students to learn 100 sentences in 22 languages. School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar informed the committee that 1,369 mother tongues have been identified in the country, which have been classified into 121 languages. Of these, 22 are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, while 99 other languages, though unrecognised, are spoken by more than 10,000 people. Mr. Kumar also highlighted the emphasis on multilingualism in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and noted that the recently formulated National Curriculum Framework for School Education has been developed with multilingualism at its core. University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Dr. Vineet Joshi briefed the committee on recent policy decisions and initiatives of the Department of Higher Education. He provided updates on AI-based translation tools such as Anuvadini and UDAAN, and shared information regarding the constitution of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti and the implementation of the Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Pariyojna as announced in the Union Budget 2025.
