Medical Education In Hindi Language: Why It Cannot Be Implemented In India

Why can Medical education in India not be implemented in the Hindi language? The clarification came to this question from the MHRD minister – Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda. Medical career in India is a vast field with opportunities in varying multitude such as in homeopathy and allopathy. For a career in medicine, candidates who pass their schools look forward to numerous available medical entrance examination. These exams are the doors to the most respected career of them all. But why the higher education in medicine not imparted in the Hindi language? Well, it seems that there are some strong reasons behind it.

Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda explains that the Medical Council of India (MCI) has examined the matter of imparting medical education in the Hindi language. He further adds that this is quite not possible in the near future as the scope of resources available in the Hindi language is very low. Further, there is a need to update the curriculum and syllabi in a timely manner, and which is mostly available in the English language only.

Here is what Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda has written in the answer when asked about medical education in the Hindi language:

Medical Council of India (MCI) is the apex body to regulate medical education in the country in accordance with the provisions of Indian Medical Council Act, 1956. The MCI has examined the matter of imparting medical education in Hindi as a medium of instruction. It was observed by them that there is paucity of adequate teaching/ learning resource material for imparting medical education in Hindi as medium of instruction. Further, the curriculum and syllabi is required to be updated in a timely manner on the basis of scientific and technological advancement, the bulk of which is available in English Language. The MCI also observed that the developed countries and most of the neighbouring countries have English as a medium of instruction for medical education. Instruction in English Language provides opportunities of international exposure and experience to the Indian medical graduates. Therefore, MCI keeping these concerns in mind has decided not to impart medical education in Hindi at this juncture.

One of the greatest hindrance the pathway of imparting medical education India in Hindi is that most of the neighboring countries have English as a medium of instruction for medical education. Thus, instruction in English languages to the students help them to stay up to date with the international standards.

However, in the medical entrance exams of the nation like NEET which is conducted in both Hindi and English languages and also in many regional languages, the candidates opt for the English language of the question paper mostly. As per the date of NEET 2018, about 10,60,923 number of candidates registered for the English language paper and 1,46,542 for the Hindi language.

This implies that about 80% of the candidates were comfortable with the English language. Whereas a little as 11% of the candidates selected the Hindi language of the examination. As long as the students are comfortable with English as the language of instruction, medical education in the Hindi language is going to be implied anytime soon.

Other medical entrance exams of the nation like JIPMER is conducted in the English language only, however, AIIMS in conducted in both Hindi and English Languages.

However, for many students who study in Hindi medium schools at their school level face difficulty in keeping track of the course in the English language. Here is a Quora thread that highlights this issue:

So what do you think of this situation? Voice your opinions in the comment box below.