The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s emphasis on imparting technical education in regional languages has yielded varied responses across India. While states like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh have seen encouraging enrollment figures, others such as Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, and Gujarat are witnessing minimal interest in their regional language BTech programs.
Mixed Response to Regional Language BTech Courses
The push for technical education in regional languages is gaining traction after the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, student response varies across states.
Some states, like Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Uttar Pradesh, have seen strong interest. Others, such as Karnataka, West Bengal, Kerala, and Gujarat, struggle with low enrollment.
Enrollment Trends in Different States
In Rajasthan, 124 students joined a Hindi-medium BTech Computer Science program in 2024. This number exceeded the 120 available seats. Maharashtra also expanded its Marathi BTech program. The number of colleges offering it grew from two in 2021 to seven in 2024. Seats increased from 90 to 300.
AICTE’s Efforts to Promote Regional Language Education
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) is working to boost regional language learning. Under its e-Kumbh initiative, it is creating study materials in 12 languages. New textbooks will cover Civil, Mechanical, and Automobile Engineering, as well as diploma courses.
AICTE is also translating 10 NCERT books into 20 regional languages. These will be available in the next academic session.
Expanding Resources Beyond Engineering
Translation efforts now include subjects like social sciences, medicine, and law. These materials will be accessible on the e-Kumbh portal. AICTE ensures accuracy through expert reviews. Feedback from students and teachers helps measure effectiveness.
Challenges and Future Plans
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Many fear that learning technical subjects in regional languages may affect job opportunities. AICTE is addressing these concerns through awareness campaigns. It highlights the benefits of native-language education, such as better understanding and cognitive development.
To improve accessibility, AICTE has also introduced audio versions of translated books.
Positive Results in Some Colleges
Some institutions are already seeing success. At Pune’s Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering (PCCOE), 32 out of 60 students in the Marathi-medium Computer Science program secured jobs before their final semester.
AICTE continues to work on bridging regional gaps, aiming for wider acceptance of technical education in regional languages.
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