JORHAT, Feb 28 - Jorhat College, a leading institute of Jorhat, will be launching short-term certificate courses on various foreign and local languages from April this year.
Speaking to The Assam Tribune, Principal of Jorhat College, Dr Devabrata Sharma, said that the college management has decided to start short-duration courses on different indigenous languages of the state, north-eastern region and also foreign languages in view of such requirement in the current scenario.
Sharma, who was the Chief Editor of the largest comprehensive dictionary in Assamese- Asomiya Jatiya Abhidhan, while elaborating about the initiatives, said that initially the college will launch courses on German, French, Deuri, Mising, Manipuri, Tiwa, Bodo, Sadri (Lingua Franca among the tea tribes).
The Principal informed that gradually more languages of other communities of the state will be included in the programme, which will be run by the college for a nominal fee and to get enlisted for the courses will be higher secondary passed.
Citing an example in this regard, he said that the main objective is to provide an opportunity to all sections of the Assamese society to know about other languages that are spoken by different tribes and communities across the state.
Sharma said that a large number of people, espicially the young generation, is interested in learning languages spoken by various indigenous groups.
�One of the objectives is to foster ties among different communities and have a better understanding among the groups and open up bridges of friendship,� Sharma said, adding that people get posting for jobs in the areas inhabited by various tribes and knowing local language would be an advantage.
He said the courses have been prepared to enable the learners to know about the basic things so that one could use it for communicating properly with the people who speak the languages.
About the German and English languages, Sharma said it has been felt by the college management that in the present scenario, youths generally prefer foreign languages.
He said many students aspire to know about German and French literatures and for that matter one has to first learn the languages while many hope to get scholarship in foreign universities in Europe where these two languages are more prevalent.
Retired professor of University of Burdwan, Dr Dilip Baruah, will look after the German language, while retired scientist of CSIR-NEIST Dr Vinod Gogoi, who is a scholar of French language and literature, will be in-charge of the French.
Sharma said that to support the running of the short-term language courses, on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day on February 21, a language laboratory with a cost of Rs 10 lakh, equipped with gadgets, was inaugurated by Professor of Tezpur University Dr Madan Sarma.
