Inclusive Futures
- Dr Sp Mishra
- Aug 28
- 7 min read
Language, Identity, and Belonging in Indian Higher Education (ICC Blog # 111)
In a recent convocation address, Hon’ble Minister Dharmendra Pradhan advocated for Hindi as the medium of instruction for first-year undergraduate programs at IIT Patna, citing IIT Jodhpur’s pilot initiative as a model. While the intent to enhance accessibility in technical education is noble, this proposal raises serious concerns about linguistic equity, academic rigour, and national integration.
As someone who has spent years mentoring students & parents, fostering inclusive ecosystems, and advocating for equitable education across India, I find this approach deeply flawed. It risks alienating diverse students, undermining academic excellence, and ignoring India’s complex linguistic reality.
In its 11th report (2022), the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, recommended that IITs, central universities, and Kendriya Vidyalayas adopt Hindi as the medium of instruction in Hindi-speaking states, and local languages elsewhere [1]. The proposal aligns with the NEP’s push for regional languages, suggesting English be optional and advocating Hindi’s inclusion among UN official languages. It seems Minister Dharmedra Pradhan was echoing this sentiment while speaking at the convocation of IIT Patna. This aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes mother tongue or regional language instruction, especially in early education and potentially in higher education.
What’s Happening on the Ground
IIT Jodhpur and IIT-BHU (both in Hindi-speaking regions) have initiated Hindi-medium instruction for select first-year B.Tech courses. No IIT in non-Hindi speaking states (e.g., Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Assam) has yet adopted regional language instruction for core engineering programs. However, the recommendation exists for these IITs to consider their respective local languages — Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Malayalam, etc. — as mediums of instruction.
India’s Linguistic Mosaic: A Reality Check
India is a vibrant tapestry of languages, with 22 scheduled languages and hundreds of dialects shaping its cultural identity. Over 60 crore Indians are internal migrants, often living in regions where their native language is not dominant [2]. Imposing Hindi as the default instructional medium in national institutions like IITs is not only impractical but exclusionary.
IITs are national hubs of excellence, attracting students from Tamil Nadu, Assam, West Bengal, Odisha, and beyond. For many, Hindi is neither a native tongue nor a language of academic fluency. Expecting them to master complex technical concepts in Hindi during their foundational year imposes an undue cognitive burden. Prof. Rao served as Director of IIT Delhi from 2016 to 2021, and is currently the Group Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani, known for his views that the strength of IITs lies in their ability to unite diverse talent under a common academic framework. Language must not become a barrier to this unity. [3]
IIT Jodhpur’s Experiment: A Limited Scope
The Minister’s reference to IIT Jodhpur is correct, but there is are lot more to this simple fact. The institute has introduced Hindi as an optional medium for first-year B.Tech students, allowing them to choose between Hindi and English sections taught by the same instructor to ensure content parity. This aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes mother-tongue education to enhance inclusivity [4]. IIT-BHU has also piloted similar efforts.
However, these initiatives are small-scale and not indicative of a national shift. Prof. Abhay Karandikar, who served as Director of IIT Kanpur (2018–2023) and now leads the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, has emphasised that while regional language options in technical education are valuable, their implementation across IITs must be carefully calibrated to prevent disparities in academic outcomes. [5]
English: A Pragmatic and Neutral Bridge
English transcends its colonial origins in India—it is a unifying medium for pan-Indian mobility and global engagement. Technical fields like engineering and computer science rely on standardised English terminology and access to global research, which is predominantly in English. Prof. Devang Khakhar, Director of IIT Bombay from 2009 to 2019, advanced the institute’s global engagement through international research, faculty collaborations, and a strengthened English-medium curriculum. A member of national advisory bodies, he consistently championed English in technical education as vital for global competitiveness and academic excellence. [6]
Shifting to Hindi for first-year instruction risks creating a tiered academic experience, where Hindi-medium students struggle to transition to English-based research, internships, and global opportunities in later years.
Native Languages: Inclusion Through Choice, Not Imposition
I strongly support preserving native languages in education. Language is a vessel of identity, heritage, and perspective. However, promoting native languages must embrace pluralism, not impose Hindi as a universal solution. Hindi is not India’s sole native language.
To enhance inclusivity, we should empower students with options to learn in their mother tongues where feasible, supported by translation tools, multilingual resources, and elective language tracks. Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman of the All-India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and former Director of IIT Guwahati, has consistently championed inclusive education through multilingual access. While supporting regional language integration in technical curricula, he emphasises that student choice—not linguistic mandates—should guide policy, ensuring accessibility without alienation. [7]
The Flawed International Analogy
The Minister cited Japan, Israel, and Germany, where native languages dominate education. These nations, however, are linguistically homogenous—Japanese in Japan, Hebrew in Israel, German in Germany. India’s linguistic diversity renders this comparison invalid. If we follow this logic, IIT Madras would teach in Tamil, IIT Guwahati in Assamese, and IIT Bombay in Marathi, fragmenting the academic ecosystem and hindering student mobility.
Prof. Bhaskar Ramamurthi, former Director of IIT Madras and national coordinator of India’s 5G Testbed, has long emphasised the need for inclusive innovation frameworks. While not publicly commenting on language mandates, his leadership reflects a commitment to preserving India’s pluralistic character through flexible, context-aware approaches. [8]
The Textbook Challenge: Are We Ready?
A critical barrier to Hindi-medium instruction is the lack of adequate resources. While platforms like Kopykitab, Amazon India, and TextShala offer Hindi engineering textbooks, they fall short of supporting a comprehensive IIT-level curriculum:
Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil Engineering: Some foundational texts exist, but they often target diploma-level or entry-level students.
Computer Science and Advanced Topics: There is a severe shortage of Hindi textbooks for subjects like Artificial Intelligence, Data Structures, Quantum Computing, and Machine Learning.
Quality and Standardisation: Many Hindi texts lack peer review or alignment with IIT syllabi, with inconsistent terminology and translation issues.
Scaling Hindi instruction would require a massive effort to develop original content, technical dictionaries, and multilingual tools. Prof. Pramod Kumar Jain, former Director of IIT-BHU and Chairman of its Official Language Committee, affirmed that the successful rollout of vernacular instruction hinges on the availability of quality Hindi textbooks and trained faculty. He noted that while the initiative is underway, significant groundwork remains. [9]
Non-Hindi Speaking States: A Telling Silence
The Parliamentary Committee [1] on Official Language suggested that IITs in Hindi-speaking states use Hindi, while those in other regions adopt local languages. Yet, no IIT in non-Hindi-speaking states—like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, West Bengal, or Maharashtra—has adopted regional language instruction for core engineering programs. This reflects the challenges of student diversity, faculty preparedness, and the global nature of technical education.
Safeguarding Autonomy and Excellence
IITs are global benchmarks of academic excellence, innovation, and autonomy. Their success lies in attracting diverse talent and delivering rigorous, standardised education. Decisions about instructional mediums must prioritise pedagogical merit, student diversity, and long-term national goals—not political agendas. Prof. Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director of IIT Bombay (2019–2024), has consistently emphasised the role of institutional autonomy in shaping inclusive and high-quality education. His language mandates & leadership reflect a commitment to evidence-based policy over ideological imposition [10]. IIT directors bear a profound responsibility to preserve this legacy through transparent dialogue with faculty, students, and stakeholders.
A Smarter Path Forward
To make technical education inclusive and culturally rooted, consider these alternatives:
Multilingual Resources: Develop supplementary materials in regional languages to aid comprehension, retaining English as the primary medium.
AI Translation Tools: Invest in language labs and AI-driven tools for real-time translation of technical content.
Elective Language Tracks: Offer optional first-year modules in regional languages, without mandating a single language.
Cultural Integration: Use native languages in campus activities and non-technical courses to foster inclusivity without compromising rigour.
Language as a Catalyst for Innovation
Innovation thrives in inclusive, collaborative environments. Language shapes how students think, communicate, and innovate, but it must enable, not obstruct, their potential. India’s strength lies in its diversity, and our policies must reflect this by fostering multilingual support and preserving English as a global bridge.
A Call for Nuanced Leadership
To IIT directors, policymakers, educators, and citizens: let us approach this issue with empathy, foresight, and a commitment to excellence. Simplistic solutions cannot address complex linguistic and academic challenges. Let us champion an education model that is inclusive, adaptive, and globally competitive. Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras and national advocate for Responsible AI and rural outreach, has emphasised that empowering students across India requires context-sensitive systems. His leadership reflects a commitment to inclusive excellence. [11]
Language is a tool of empowerment. Let us wield it with care to build bridges, not barriers, for India’s Inclusive futures.
References
Parliamentary Committee on Official Language. (2022). 11th Report on the Use of Hindi in Central Universities and Technical Institutions. Government of India.
Census of India. (2011). Data on Migration. Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India.
Rao, V. R. (2020). Interview on IITs and Academic Excellence. Education Times, The Times of India, March 15.
Ministry of Education, Government of India. (2020). National Education Policy 2020.
Karandikar, A. (2022). Remarks at AICTE Conference on Technical Education. New Delhi, June 10.
Khakhar, D. (2018). Keynote Address at Global Education Summit. Mumbai, January 20.
Sitharam, T. G. (2023). AICTE Report on Multilingual Education in Technical Institutions. All India Council for Technical Education.
Ramamurthi, B. (2019). Speech at IIT Madras Convocation. Chennai, July 25.
Jain, P. K. (2021). Statement at IIT-BHU Official Language Committee Meeting. Varanasi, April 12.
Chaudhuri, S. (2023). Interview on Institutional Autonomy. The Hindu, August 5.
Kamakoti, V. (2024). Keynote at National Conference on Responsible AI. Chennai, February 10.
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