[lg policy] India: Hindi no more a mandatory subject in Central universities

[Harold Schiffman]

 Hindi no more a mandatory subject in Central universities
  Friday, 19 June 2015 - 7:25am IST | Place: New Delhi | Agency: dna | From
the print edition

In the current curriculum, a paper in Hindi is mandatory at the graduation
level across central universities in northern belt. In Delhi University,
Hindi is taught as a mandatory paper in all programme courses. Even in
honours paper, students had a choice of studying either Hindi or English as
a language paper. The language papers Hindi

   -

 Studying Hindi <http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/hindi> is no longer going to
be mandatory at undergraduate level in Central universities. The new
choice-based credit system (CBCS) is giving students an option to either
study Hindi, English <http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/english> or any modern
Indian language.

While the new syllabus gives students choice to study an Indian language
instead of learning Hindi or English, Hindi sympathisers feel that the new
system is discouraging students from learning the national language. The
move has come up at a time when the government is trying to promote Hindi.

In the current curriculum, a paper in Hindi is mandatory at the graduation
level across central universities in northern belt. In Delhi University,
Hindi is taught as a mandatory paper in all programme courses. Even in
honours paper, students had a choice of studying either Hindi or English as
a language paper. The language papers Hindi

and English together made 25 per cent of the total syllabus in the
programme course. The share of languages
<http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/languages> has been brought down to less
than five per cent.

Human resource development ministry's new syllabus under CBCS has made
Hindi an optional paper in under graduate syllabus. "In the existing
course, the students read Hindi in one semester and English in another. But
now the student will read either Hindi or English or any third language,"
explained a professor who was a part of CBCS committee.

"Had there been sufficient deliberation over CBCS, such issues would not
have arisen," said Professor IM Kapahy, who teaches at Delhi University
<http://www.dnaindia.com/topic/delhi-university> and is a member of the
UGC. He was also a part of the committee that drafted the syllabus.

Kapahy also criticised the ministry for not evaluating the language policy
and deciding on dropping out Hindi. Distancing himself from the issue, the
professor added, "I am a member of UGC, but I was not a part of all the
decision-making process."

The teaching fraternity is also critical of the new system. They feel that
not only will it discourage the students from learning Hindi, but will also
reduce the workload of the teachers. "On one hand we want to promote the
raj bhasha, on the other we are making attempts to discourage students from
taking it up," said Professor Gopeshwar Singh, head of Hindi department of
Delhi University. Singh also added this the new system will reduce the
workload of the department and will leave teachers without sufficient work.
The UGC that has been the nodal agency for drafting the syllabus, however,
denies having made any discrimination towards teaching Hindi. "The syllabi
has been prepared after due consultations with central
and state universities. The vice chancellors have given their approval. The
CBCS gives the university the leverage to modify the syllabi up to 20 per
cent. The universities are free to make such changes," said a UGC
functionary


http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-hindi-no-more-a-mandatory-subject-in-central-universities-2096918
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