Medium of Education...leading to crisis
>> Thursday, February 21, 2008
Language as medium of education has a major role in maintaining as well as lowering
the quality of education in India. The elite is in favour of English, which they
consider a status symbol. As education has bypassed the majority, the national
consensus is in favour of a switchover to regional language media which is expected
not only to increase the access to education, but also establish a viable relation
between tradition and change. The lukewarm attitude of the academics towards the
switchover has resulted in half-hearted teaching of both English and the regional
languages and consequently lowering of the general standard of education. The
grudging switchover of only 52 per cent of universities to the regional language
media, the total confusion arising from the unpreparedness in not being able to
evolve suitable methods and materials, are examples of lack of firm leadership
in this area.
