Opting for Kannada as one of the language papers is not mandatory for all undergraduate students of Mangalore University under the National Education Policy – 2020 which is going to be introduced in the academic year 2021-22.
However, those who studied Kannada as a language paper in the pre-university level will have to compulsorily select Kannada as one of the language papers in the first two years (four semesters) of their under-graduation course.
Sources in the university told The Hindu that those who did not study Kannada as a language paper in the pre-university level will have to select Functional Kannada paper either in the first or second semester during their under-graduation. In the remaining three semesters of the two-year study, they can select any other language of their choice. All undergraduate students do not study any language paper in the third year (fifth semester onwards) and later.
The sources said that with regard to the introduction of language papers, the draft of the regulations prepared by the university has not drifted away from the model of regulations sent by the State Government to all universities.
The draft prepared by the university is not final. It will have to be approved by the respective faculty, the Academic Council, the Syndicate and finally, by the Chancellor who is the Governor.
If required, modifications can be made during the meetings of the respective faculty and the Academic Council, they said.
However, some teachers said that there are still some grey areas that needed to be clarified. They related to choice of other language papers by those students who did not study Kannada during the pre-university level. There are contradictions in the language policy adopted by the government.
For example, a student who did not study Kannada in the pre-university level can opt for Sanskrit in the first semester and Functional Kannada in the second semester. The same student can opt for French in the third semester and German in the fourth semester.
If the same student again opts for Sanskrit in the third semester, will he able to grasp the advanced level of Sanskrit lessons introduced in the third semester or any other language, ask teachers.
Usually advanced level lessons are introduced in the third and fourth semesters. Switching languages in the second year might come in the way of grasping, they say.
