Bengaluru: Rajiv Gandhi University of Health and Sciences (RGUHS) has decided to act tough against colleges not teaching Kannada, despite being made mandatory.
"There are 680 colleges under RGUHS and it is must to teach Kannada. If they are not following it then we will issue the notice for such colleges,” said Prof M.K. Ramesh, in-charge vice chancellor and registrar (Evaluation), RGUHS.
A committee, headed by H.C. Boralingaiah, had earlier recommended making Kannada mandatory in medical and engineering colleges in Karnataka from 2016-17 for at least two semesters.
Earlier this year RGUHS had laid down the policy to introduce Kannada. Two different books were also introduced in the curriculum; Kannada Kali, for students who hail from other states and Kannada Manassu for students from the state.
Way back in 2002, the Kannada Development Authority (KDA) Chairman, Baragur Ramachandrappa, had directed professional institutions to introduce Kannada in their curriculum.
Professor S.G. Siddaramaiah, President, KDA, said, "We had insisted that Kannada be made mandatory but the bureaucrats are hindering the process. Even after the committee's approval why are they not implementing? I will write letter to the government to take action."
Regarding the issue a Professor of Anatomy at BGS Global Institute of Medical Science said, “This is not the first time that the colleges are being told to teach kannada. It was there for the past 10 years, but most colleges are not doing it cut costs."
He said that learning Kannada will help students when they go for rural posting or while dealing with patients. There are so many colleges located in rural areas and even they are not teaching Kannada. “The Government should take necessary action," the professor added.
For outstation students It is a struggle when they are posted in rural areas or sent for assignments. Durgesh, a medical student from Kalaburagi and who hails is from North India said, “Even though we try to learn Kannada from our friends, we still face a lot of difficulty during rural posting. There is no course in the college that teaches Kannada.”
