JOIN USThe demand for Portuguese course offered by the Department of Foreign Languages at Bangalore University, has suddenly shot up this academic year, even as courses offered in Russian and Arabic languages have had little or no takers at all since they were started.
Authorities at the department cannot exactly pinpoint the reason for this, but they welcome the trend. Of the 30 seats offered, the department has received 10 applications, something that was unseen before.
“The popularity of any language depends on its market value and considering the flourishing relations between Brazil (Portuguese is the national language) and India that are part of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), this might be a reason for its growing demand,” said Jyothi Venkatesh, co-ordinator, Department of Foreign Languages.
Pointing out other possible reasons, Jyothi said: “Many from our country may be visiting countries like Brazil for assignment and trade agreements,” she said.
On a lighter vein, Jyothi said that it might also be due to the Fifa World Cup being played in Brazil. “I would like to think it is due to the World Cup but I am really not sure,” she said.
This year the Italian course will not to be taught as there is no faculty.
“The course was sponsored by the Italian Embassy and it was fairly popular with 10 to 12 yearly applications. This year, however, the teachers, both Indian and Italian, have left,” she said.
The department offers courses in a total of 11 languages. While French and Japanese are postgraduate courses, the rest are certificate/diploma courses.
There are also plans to introduce postgraduate courses in German and Spanish languages from next year.
Submission of forms for the courses began on June 10 and the last date for submission is July 12.
The department, however, is contemplating extending the last date.