IIT Jodhpur Pioneers Bilingual Education in Engineering

IIT Jodhpur has become the institute to implement teaching BTech courses in English and Hindi.

This groundbreaking initiative was approved by the Senate during its 38th meeting held on 26 June 2024.

The BoG (Board of Governors) meeting held on 28th June 2024, say sources from IIT Jodhpur.

Challenges

Recognizing the challenges faced by students with limited proficiency in English, IIT Jodhpur is ready to introduce professional education in Indian languages, in compliance with the spirit of the National Education Policy – 2020.

Learning experience

This initiative aims to enhance the learning experience for students, particularly those from Hindi-speaking regions, by offering the option of attending courses in their native language, say sources from IIT Jodhpur.

Starting with the first-year B.Tech. courses, IIT Jodhpur will provide instruction in both Hindi and English.

English augmentation classes will also be given to enhance the English proficiency of the students.

Director of IIT Jodhpur

Director of IIT Jodhpur, Prof. Avinash Kumar Agarwal, emphasized the importance of this initiative in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

He said teaching first-year courses in both Hindi and English will enhance students’ comprehension and interaction with the course material.

It facilitates a seamless adaptation to the academic environment of IIT Jodhpur, said Prof. Agarwal.

He highlighted the language barrier faced by many students from non-English speaking backgrounds and proposed this bilingual approach to ensure equal rigor in the teaching-learning process for both language sections.

Implementation

To implement this major initiative, first-year students will be given the option to choose between Hindi and English lectures before the commencement of classes, say sources from IIT Jodhpur.

Two sections will be identified based on these preferences, and the same instructor will teach both sections to maintain consistency and rigor in education.

Students will also have the choice to switch between sections. The students will face the same evaluations, ensuring the same rigor in the teaching-learning processes will be maintained by IIT Jodhpur.

Approval

The Senate and the BoG, after thorough discussion, appreciated and approved the proposal, marking a significant step towards inclusive education at IITJ, being the first in the country.

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This initiative not only aligns with the NEP 2020 but also sets a precedent for other institutes to follow.

It is also, promoting education in native languages to improve inclusivity for all sections of society and access to high-quality technical education.

Appreciation

The Ministry of Education appreciated this move by IIT Jodhpur to offer B.Tech. first-year courses in both Hindi and English, beginning this academic year.

The Ministry commended this as a significant step towards fostering a more inclusive and supportive educational environment at IITJ.

About IIT Jodhpur

Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur was established in 2008, to foster technology education and research in India.

The Institute is committed to technological thought and action to benefit the economic development of India.

Scholarship in teaching and learning; Scholarship in research and creative accomplishments; and relevance to Industry are three driving forces for them at IIT Jodhpur.

IITJ functions from its sprawling residential Permanent Campus of 852 acres on National Highway 65, north-northwest of Jodhpur towards Nagaur.

This campus is meticulously planned and envisioned to stand as a symbol of academics – simple, but deep.

The Institute is committed to multidisciplinary approach of technology development.

Hence, it has established state-of-the-art laboratories for basic research, and has organised its academic degree activities through Departments and its coordinated research through Centers for Technologies.