The Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS).
Credit: DH FILE PHOTO
Bengaluru: In a bid to teach students from other states the fundamentals of Kannada language, the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) is rolling out a ‘Basic Kannada Learning Course’ for its students.
The varsity is framing the syllabus for the course, and a note laying down all the guidelines for the course will be circulated among all the affiliated colleges soon. “Proficiency in Kannada will help the students while practising medicine in the state given that they will be able to communicate more easily with their patients,” said RGUHS Vice-Chancellor Dr Bhagavan B C.
The initiative was illustrative of the varsity’s commitment to furthering Kannada, said the RGUHS VC. “We take pride in advancing medical education and doing our bit for community health. At the same time, we are also committed to preserving and promoting the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Karnataka,” said Dr Bhagavan, adding that furthering the cause of Kannada was both a cultural and intellectual responsibility.
Use of Kannada in administration
Besides rolling out a course in Kannada language, RGUHS is set to issue an order mandating use of Kannada in official correspondence. Furthermore, the publishing arm of RGUHS – Prasaranga – has taken on the task of publishing medical books in Kannada.
Students to be taught foreign languages
Given that medical professionals – doctors and allied healthcare workers – are in huge demand the world over, RGUHS, in association with the Bengaluru City University’s (BCU) Department of Global Languages, will offer lessons in foreign languages to its students.
German, French, Italian, Japanese are among the languages that will be taught to students pursuing medical, dental, nursing and allied health science courses at the university. BCU and RGUHS are slated to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to impart foreign language lessons to the varsity’s students. Steps are also being taken to establish a ‘Foreign Language Lab’ at the university.