In a significant development for technical education in India, the Shri G S Institute of Technology and Science (SGSITS) in Indore has officially launched a BTech programme in Civil Engineering taught entirely in Hindi. Introduced for the current academic session, this initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP), which encourages instruction in regional languages to improve conceptual understanding. The programme offers 30 seats, with approximately 20 students already enrolled. To support this transition, the Madhya Pradesh government has announced a financial incentive of Rs 2 lakh for students completing this course in their final year. This move is designed to make high-quality technical education more inclusive and accessible to students who have completed their foundational schooling in Hindi-medium institutions.
The primary motivation behind this decision is the removal of the language barrier that has historically hindered many students. According to Sunil Ajmera, the head of the Civil Engineering department at SGSITS, the faculty observed that students from Hindi-medium backgrounds often struggled to grasp complex engineering concepts when presented exclusively in English. This difficulty sometimes led to increased dropout rates. To mitigate this, the institute spent four years preparing for the transition. This preparation included the systematic translation of essential technical study materials from English to Hindi and the organization of specialized workshops to train faculty members in delivering technical content effectively in Hindi. Consequently, students are now permitted to attend lectures and sit for examinations in their mother tongue, allowing them to engage with the curriculum more confidently.
While the programme prioritizes Hindi, the institute remains committed to ensuring its graduates remain globally competitive. The curriculum does not exclude English; instead, it incorporates ongoing support to help students improve their English proficiency, which remains essential for career growth and advanced academic research. Students have expressed strong appreciation for this bilingual approach. Rohit Sharma, an enrolled student, noted that while English remains important, learning technical concepts in Hindi prevents the frustration of relying solely on online translation tools. By offering this balanced model, SGSITS aims to bridge the gap between regional language proficiency and global technical standards. This initiative serves as a model for how educational institutions across the nation can provide equitable access to engineering while fostering the necessary professional language skills for future success.
Source: Read Original News
