PANJIM: In a major move, the State government has asked Goa University to allow its students to learn and write exams in local languages like Konkani and Marathi, even if the course is offered in English medium.
The request, made almost a month back, will be deliberated during the University’s Academic Council meeting scheduled in the first week of May.
On Wednesday, the University Grants Commission (UGC) wrote to all the universities across the country to allow their students to write exams in local or regional languages. The decision has been taken to support the teaching-learning process in the local languages.
Speaking to O Heraldo, Goa University Registrar V S Nadkarni said that even before the UGC could write, the varsity had received a similar request from the State government.
“A lot of policies are involved in this decision and hence the Academic Council will discuss and decide. The council will have detailed deliberation on State’s request as well as the communication from UGC,” he said.
The UGC in its circular has emphasized the need to strengthen and “promote such initiatives as writing textbooks in the mother tongue/local languages and encouraging their use in teaching, including translating standard books from other languages”.
“Therefore, the Commission requests that students in your university be allowed to write the answers in local languages in examinations even if the programme is offered in English medium, and promote translation of original writing in local languages and use local language in the teaching-learning process at universities,” it said.
When contacted, Secretary Education Prasad Lolayekar said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 at higher education had laid emphasis on this aspect. “According to NEP, English should not be barrier in understanding or explaining the concept and so, it speaks about examination in local languages,” he said.
Lolayekar said that the option will be given to the students as the State gears up to implement NEP in phased manner at higher education level.
