To avoid the language barrier in the technical education system, the government introduced engineering degree programs in regional languages as part of a new national initiative. Since then, 22 engineering colleges across the country, including 18 private and 4 public institutions, have offered a total of 2,580 seats in local languages. Although this represents only a small fraction of the total 25-lakh bank of engineering seats, the initiative's success offers valuable insights for the future. In particular, there has been a marked increase in local-language engineering programs in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
As per a report published by Indian Express, the enrollment rate in these courses offered in regional languages has improved significantly. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE ) has shared data that shows an improvement in seat vacancies from 80 per cent in the 2021-22 academic year to 53 per cent in 2022-23.
To implement the new National Education Policy (NEP 2020), AICTE approved 1,140 seats for BTech programs in 11 regional languages across 18 engineering colleges for the academic year 2021-22. These languages include Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Malayalam, Bengali, Assamese, Punjabi and Odia. Out of the 18 colleges, three were government colleges and 15 were private institutions. This decision was taken to promote the strength, usage, and vibrancy of Indian languages.
Here is the state-wise data:
| State | Language | Year 2021-22 (seats) | Year 2021-22 (seats filled) | Year 2022-23 (Seats) | Year 2022-23(Seats-filled) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | 60 | 22 | 120 | 105 |
| Haryana | Hindi | 210 | 20 | 240 | 31 |
| Karnataka | Kannada | 90 | 0 | 90 | 0 |
| Madhya Pradesh | Hindi | 60 | 0 | 150 | 18 |
| Maharashtra | Marathi | 60 | 65 | 60 | 74 |
| Rajasthan | Marathi | 120 | 19 | 120 | 117 |
| Tamil Nadu | Tamil | 120 | 45 | 120 | 110 |
| Uttar Pradesh | Hindi | 240 | 58 | 240 | 228 |
| Uttarakhand | Hindi | 180 | 0 | 180 | 0 |
| Gujarat | Gujarati | NA | NA | 120 | 0 |
| Total | - | 1,140 | 233 | 1,140 | 683 |
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Engineering in regional languages
Beginning with the academic year 2021-22, engineering courses were offered in five languages: Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Marathi. However, colleges in Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Uttarakhand only offered BTech courses in Hindi. Meanwhile, institutes in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra, and Tamil Nadu provided courses in their respective regional languages. Despite this, only 233 seats were filled out of 1,140 available across all 18 colleges that year, according to data.
For the academic year 2022-23, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) approved 1,440 seats for engineering in the local language across 22 colleges. Out of these, four institutes are government-owned while the rest are privately-owned. Almost half of the seats, that is 683, were filled with programs in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, and Telugu. The Pimpri Chinchwad College of Engineering in Pune recorded an increase in the number of admissions in the same year. As per the Indian Express report, the institute offered admission to 65 students for its four-year computer engineering course in Marathi against an approved intake of 60. With the AICTE allowing an additional division if needed, the enrollment increased to 74 students in 2022-23.
The Noida Institute of Engineering and Technology (NIET) is a private institute located in Greater Noida. In the academic year 2021-22, the institute had only 19 students. However, in the following academic year of 2022-23, it managed to fill 68 seats in the computer science course in Hindi, which was above the approved intake of 60. Similarly, the Tamil course had only 10 students in 2021-22, but in the years 2021 and 2022, the institute filled 49 seats in Tamil, which was also above the approved intake of 60 seats. Enrollment in Computer Science and Engineering in Telugu at the NRI Institute of Technology (NRIIT) in Andhra’s Vijayawada, too, rose from 22 students to 50 against the approved intake of 60 in the same period, reported by Indian Express.
Some Universities had trouble getting admissions to regional engineering programmes
Many universities did well. However, some universities such as Gujarat, and Karnataka had trouble getting in even one student. The reason behind the low number of admissions is not having dedicated textbooks and teachers for these courses, prompting some of these colleges. C Naga Bhaskar, the principal of NRIIT, a private institute, told IE that most of the books that are being used in classrooms are in English. However, our approach is to gradually make students comfortable in English as they move on. In the first year, we explain the concepts in 75 per cent Telugu and 25 per cent English. This ratio becomes 50:50 in the second year and in the third year, most of the curriculum is taught in English. Apart from that, AICTE has developed a tool for translating content into regional languages.
Results will show gradually, says AICTE
Rajive Kumar, AICTE member secretary, told IE that they have started faculty development programmes in Indian languages. They have given students options to choose regional language courses. Books are being translated into regional languages and efforts are being made to equip teachers to teach in regional languages. This multi-dimensional approach would surely help increase interest among students, but it would happen gradually. This is not likely to show results in just two years.
