RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh government’s push to introduce a Hindi-medium MBBS course has met with what officials describe as “indifferent and lukewarm” response from students who are inclined to study the course in a language they are comfortable with, reports Ejaz Kaiser of The New Indian Express.
Although the scheme was announced with fanfare last year, none of the 10 government medical colleges in the state has begun Hindi-medium classes even after the new academic session opened in September.
Officials say the core issue is not eligibility but willingness. “The issue is not of taking admission in an MBBS course in the Hindi medium but of nurturing interest to pursue MBBS in that language.
Around 70 students admitted to MBBS courses are usually from a Hindi-speaking background in the state. But there are difficulties with opting for Hindi, so the students are not taking an interest.
The books in Hindi are available in the medical college, but students are not keen,” Dr U S Paikra, Director (Medical Education), told this newspaper. He added that those who complete MBBS in Hindi may face hurdles when they move on to postgraduate studies conducted entirely in English.
According to officials, no student has applied for the Hindi-medium track this year. Last year, only two or three students expressed interest, far too few to run separate classes. “So the plan of starting Hindi-medium classes in MBBS was dropped.
We cannot assess how the transition could pose a challenge and be mitigated, despite the state government’s determination to impart medical education in Hindi. And those students taking admission from the All India or Central pool quota will not be interested in the Hindi-medium MBBS course,” an official said.
The initiative had been announced by Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on ‘Hindi Diwas’ last year, promising to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of starting Hindi-medium medical education from the 2024–25 session.
The health department was instructed to prepare textbooks and study material. The CM said the shift would especially help rural students from Hindi-medium schools who face difficulty in medical courses despite being competent, owing to the use of English.
But many in the academic community remain sceptical. “Medical terms are universally accepted in English, while Hindi terms sound alien. Good text and reference books are all in English. The students seem concerned about PG Medicine programme, where the lessons are given in English,” said educationist Jawahar Suresetti.
Doctors familiar with the ground reality also point to practical challenges. Dr Harish Podiyami, a 25-year-old medical officer from Sukma whose mother tongue is Gondi, said students do struggle initially but eventually adapt.
“Students speaking languages other than English might face some problems only in the initial 4–5 months after taking admission in an MBBS course. Later, these students at their ease get accustomed to the English language,” he said. Students, too, have observed that Hindi translations of medical terms can be harder to grasp than the English originals.