Although the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked universities to support teaching-learning in the local languages to enhance the gross enrollment ratio (GER), stakeholders in Odisha's higher education system feel the shift to regional language should be a gradual move and not an additional burden on the faculty-starved public universities in Odisha, as stated in a report by The New Indian Express.
On Wednesday, April 19, the UGC asked vice-chancellors (VCs) of all universities to use the local language in the teaching-learning process and promote translation of original writing into local languages besides allowing students to write exams in the local language even if the course is offered in English medium.
Even as academicians welcomed the move, they said given the current circumstances it will be a gradual and time-consuming process. Fakir Mohan University Vice-Chancellor, Santosh Tripathy, said that, "None of the three directives seem feasible unless the universities decide to open separate translation units with subject matter specialists from each department and fill up all vacant teaching positions with faculty members who have the knowledge of Odia."
What are the hindrances?
The problem currently is that not all faculty members in universities have the reading and writing skills in Odia. Even the Odia departments, which will also play an important role in the translation of books in social sciences and humanities, in universities are facing a faculty crisis. Except for Fakir Mohan University, none of the universities have 50 per cent faculty strength in their Odia departments and these vacancies have existed for more than two to five years.
Vice-Chairperson of Odisha State Higher Education Council, Ashok Das, said the shift to teaching learning in regional language has already been discussed in the VCs meeting which took place in November last year, but problems can still arise. "It will require a lot of time and would need many things to be taken care of before the actual translation begins, particularly for science subjects. Our focus would also be ensuring supply of good quality translated books because there is every possibility that local publishers will try to randomly translate books and sell them to students," he said.
The use of Odia in existing curriculum
As far as higher education is concerned, currently, at the UG level, students of humanities and social sciences are being allowed to write their examinations in Odia language. And the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) had released 20 engineering books in Odia last year.
The UGC has urged the state universities to submit a list of discipline-wise availability of faculties, subject experts and scholars who can translate textbooks, reference books and study materials in local languages in their institutes which will help integrate the local language to help promote education.
"The shift to teaching learning in regional language has already been discussed in the VCs meeting which took place in November last year. But it will require a lot of time. Our focus would also be ensuring supply of good quality translated books because there is every possibility that local publishers will try to randomly translate books and sell them to students," Ashok Das, Odisha State Higher Education Council (OSHEC) Vice-Chairperson said as he expressed his concerns regarding the offshoots of the plan introduced by the UGC.
