New Delhi: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday urged Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to promote Indian languages by introducing regional languages in addition to English as the medium of instruction for inclusive growth.
The minister made the suggestion at the 56th IIT council meeting held here. The council also discussed bringing IITs under a national accreditation system; reforms in PhD education to enhance quality, global relevance, research outcomes, boost international rankings, attract top-tier talent, and strengthen IITs’ reputation as advanced research hubs.
There was also a discussion on establishing a research chair for non-resident Indians and Indian diaspora to attract top research talent to collaborate with Indian institutes.
“The minister (Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan) suggested introducing parallel sections alongside the English-medium ones, where students can learn in regional languages, as some from vernacular backgrounds struggle to follow lessons in English,” an IIT director told ThePrint on the condition of anonymity.
“Although IITs are cosmopolitan and it may not be possible to cater to all regional languages, the institutes will explore the use of AI and other methods to bridge the gap,” the director added.
According to a statement released by the ministry, it was further shared that IITs are actively promoting regional and Indian languages through courses in Indian languages, translated materials, mentoring, and support centers like Shivani, as well as tools like Bhashini, to promote inclusivity. “The Council resolved to take every step to facilitate learners from different bhasha backgrounds so that they are able to learn effectively,” the statement stated.
Hon'ble Union Minister of Education Shri @dpradhanbjp chaired the 56th Meeting of the Council of Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) held at @iitdelhi.
The Council unanimously resolved to take forward PM’s vision of ‘Atmanirbharta se Samridha Bharat’ across its all… pic.twitter.com/KS0N5tts5n
— Ministry of Education (@EduMinOfIndia) August 25, 2025
In an X post, the ministry added, “The Council unanimously resolved to take forward PM’s vision of ‘Atmanirbharta se Samridha Bharat’ across its all stakeholders. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan emphasised positioning IIT education as a catalyst for an Atmanirbhar and Samriddha Bharat. He specifically urged the IITs to promote Indian languages by introducing regional languages in addition to English as the medium of instruction of courses for inclusive growth.”
The meeting also witnessed discussion of bringing IITs under a national accreditation. The IITs follow their internal systems for periodic peer evaluation and assessment of programmes, while other higher education institutions (HEIs) are assessed and accredited by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC).
“The binary accreditation system was also discussed. Although the modalities under which IITs can be accredited were not detailed, there was no mention of bringing IITs under NAAC. It might be some other body that will handle their accreditation,” said another official who was present during the meeting, requesting anonymity.
The meeting featured extensive discussions on the mental health and wellbeing of students, with various models adopted by different IITs shared. “It was also suggested to promote healthy living habits on campuses and conduct annual health check-ups,” the Union ministry said.
Additionally, discussions focused on adapting the curriculum and pedagogy in real time to keep pace with the advent of Artificial Intelligence. “It was decided to constitute a task force to develop a detailed action plan for higher and school education across the country,” the ministry added.
Additionally, measures to promote recruitment in accordance with the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act within IITs were examined.
Meanwhile, despite being listed on the agenda, there was no discussion on reducing coaching dependency for JEE (Advanced) or on the introduction of the National Credit Framework (NCrF) in IITs.
(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)
This is called height of stupidity. BJP should come out clean in everything. I am from Karnataka and I join iit madras. Tell me why should I understand tamil? Second, can north indians learn and understand tamil? Third, you being uneducated, did you speak in tamil or other languages? Fourth, can you tell me in tamil, what is an electron, cad, boson, metallurgy, circuit, communication, amplitude modulation, etc etc?