'Promoting education in Indian languages Centre's key focus'

Union Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh on Wednesday said promoting science communication and education in Indian languages is one of the key focuses of the Central government, adding efforts are on to make science textbooks available in vernacular languages to the students.

As most of the advanced countries like Russia, Japan, Germany and China can have the best of science literature and projects in their mother tongue, India has also taken the lead to communicate modern science and technology in all the languages in the country, the Minister said, adding "learning becomes deeper when we study in our mother tongue".

Releasing a science monthly magazine in Hindi, Urdu and English, Singh also announced the magazine's Dogri and Kashmiri versions along with other vernacular versions will be released soon.

While the Hindi and English versions are based on the theme "Dream 2047" referring to the 100th year of India's independence, the Urdu version is named Tajassus (curiosity) and was prepared in association with the Central University of Kashmir.

Singh said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi always pitched for using vernacular languages in promoting science communication in a "big way" to develop "love of science" in the youth, and underlined that language should not be a barrier but a facilitator.

Referring to PM Modi's speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on August 15 this year, Singh said the National Education Policy 2020 laid emphasis on the importance of education in the mother tongue for poor children.

He quoted Modi as saying, "there is a massive divide in our country regarding language and this cage of language has tied a huge talent. If people from the vernacular medium come forward, their self-confidence will grow".