Medicine, nursing, and pharmacy textbooks in Indian languages in three years

The high-powered Committee for Promotion of Indian Languages under the Ministry of Education has confirmed that the medicine, nursing, and pharmacy textbooks will be available in major Indian languages in three years.

He said the committee is already discussing this with the National Medical Commission (NMC) and other specific boards regarding this new initiative.

“We are working at being able to offer education (courses in medicine/nursing/pharmacy, etc.) in regional languages across India. The central idea being that in 10 years time, all the students will have the option, infrastructural and staff support to study these subjects in their mother tongue. This is not to say that English will be done away with. That option will also be kept available," he said, as reported by The Hindu.

After Home Minister Amit Shah launched the MBBS textbooks in Hindi on October 16 in Madhya Pradesh, UP CM Yogi Adityanath also revealed his plan to start medical and engineering courses in Hindi next year.

However, there is a section of the medical fraternity that thinks that starting MBBS in Hindi is a retrograde step. On this, Mr Shastry said, “Countries, including Japan and Germany, follow the same principle and offer medical education in their respective languages. Even international students seem to be able to cope well.”

“Besides, we understand that 90% of the doctors, nurses and pharma professionals that we educate stay on the country and states to work there. In this scenario, knowing the regional language is an added benefit. It puts the patients at complete ease and allows no communication gaps,” he added.

Read more:

• MBBS in Hindi is retrograde step: FAIMA National President
• UP to offer Medical, Engineering education in Hindi: Yogi Adityanath