Engineering Books in Kannada Launched to Boost Regional Technical Education

Bengaluru, April 1, 2025 – In a landmark move to promote technical education in regional languages, Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot officially launched a collection of engineering books translated into Kannada on Tuesday at Raj Bhavan. The initiative, a collaborative effort between the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU), Belagavi, aims to make engineering and diploma-level education more accessible to Kannada-speaking students.

The translated books, tailored for first-year engineering and diploma courses, mark a significant step toward implementing the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasizes education in mother tongues. Governor Gehlot praised the effort, stating, “VTU Karnataka has been instrumental in ensuring that technical education reaches students in their native language, fostering inclusivity and understanding.”

Higher Education Minister M.C. Sudhakar, present at the event, echoed this sentiment. “When students learn complex technical subjects in their mother tongue, they are more likely to excel, innovate, and contribute to research,” he said. AICTE Chairman Prof. T.G. Sitharam also attended, highlighting the importance of linguistic diversity in education.

This launch comes amidst ongoing efforts to strengthen Kannada in technical fields, though past attempts to introduce Kannada-medium engineering courses have faced challenges, including low student enrollment. With these newly translated resources, officials hope to bridge the gap and encourage more students to pursue engineering in their native language.

The event underscores Karnataka’s commitment to balancing regional identity with modern education, setting a potential model for other states to follow.