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| Dibrugarh University |
Jorhat, Sept. 16: When the government is looking east for better trade prospects, Dibrugarh University is offering a language course which will enable its students to ride the wave.
The Centre for Languages Studies, established under the university in 2010, will introduce Chinese language course from next academic session in September.
At a meeting of the university’s board chaired by vice-chancellor K.K. Deka last week, it was decided that the centre would offer a one-year diploma course, as there was an increasing demand to learn Chinese language in the country following the Union government’s policy to boost trade with its Southeast Asian neighbour.
“With China becoming an important country in the global trade scenario and the Centre also pushing its Look East Policy, the need for learning Chinese language is increasing. If the Stillwell route (from Assam) is opened to carry out trade with China via Myanmar in future then there will be great demand for those who know the language,” Deka told The Telegraph today.
He said a teacher would be appointed for the course, who in consultation with the faculty of the centre, would prepare the curriculum.
Initially, there will 15 to 20 seats and if the endeavour gets a positive response, then more languages of Southeast Asian nations will be introduced, he added.
Deka said the university was also planning to start regional language courses.
He said the Assamese department had introduced a two-year diploma course on Tai language (including those spoken by some Tai-Ahom communities in Assam) nearly 10 years back. It is still being continued by the Centre for Language Studies after it was set up.
Deka said very recently an assistant professor, Saman Kaeruang from Kasetsart University, Bangkok, had conducted a training camp on Tai language for three months at the Languages Studies Centre and was expected to be back again next year. “We will also try to get such teachers as visiting faculties from a Chinese university.” He said the university board also decided to introduce a master degree course in Hindi from next academic session.
The vice-chancellor said the Union government planned to launch a programme to promote Hindi language under which a Hindi language officer would be appointed at the block level. This will create opportunities for which Hindi-master degree holders would be required.
Deka said under the UGC scheme to encourage Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states, five posts of teachers were sanctioned for the Centre for Language Studies. These teachers — one professor, three associate professors and one assistant professor — will be paid by the UGC.
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