Hey, it is still cool to take up Kannada

BANGALORE: Students are gearing up to start their college days. Some want to make their mark in the intriguing world of sciences.Others hope to make breakthroughs in mathematics.And there are those who hope to dig up some history.But what about the 2,500-year-old Dravidian language called Kannada.Do the linguistics, literature, poetry and aesthetics of Kannada still entice the younger generation today? Are students still taking up Kannada as the main subject? Also are students opting to learn other subjects in Kannada. City Express finds out.“At Bangalore University, we offer MA in Kannada.And, you will be surprised to know that the courses are full. We have many students who opt for courses in Kannada. There are several career options but the most popular ones include journalism in Kannada. It is no way a diminishing trend. I would say it is still going very strong. And being a local language, it has a powerful base here in Karnataka. In terms of literature and poetry too we have many takers,” says R M Ranganath, Registrar of Bangalore University.Bangalore University has increased the intake for Kannada main to 80 students per batch, to cater to the increasing demand. Says Dr B Gangadhar, director of Centre for Kannada Studies, Bangalore University, Jnanpeeth, “One could very well opt for a career in media, TV, radio, law, civil services and so on by majoring in Kannada. The demand for learning the language never reduced. Infact, Bangalore University has not only increased the intake for MA in Kannada from 35 to 80 students per batch, but eight institutions have also been recognised under BU to offer the course. We still have a good number of students who are passionate about the language.” Nandiish Kumar B M, the principal of S S R College points out that Kannada, as a language is not really encouraged in schools today.“Students would rather opt for French or Sanskrit as they are relatively higher scoring subjects. However, in government schools and colleges, it is still encouraged to a large extent.Students hailing from rural areas prefer studying in Kannada. I would suggest parents to take active interest in teaching their children the basics of the language if not opting for the same as a medium of learning. There are several career options associated with majoring in Kannada. For instance, one could become a professor or lecturer in renowned colleges, translators or even try their hand at civil service examinations. However, in order to build a solid career at multinational companies, not knowing English could be a hindrance.” At Sparks Correspondence Institute courses such as Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Chartered Accounting (CA) are offered in Kannada.However, the number of students preferring these courses is limited.“It is understandable that students wish to learn English as it is the common language of communication today. With companies and colleges constantly demanding for candidates to know English, one doesn’t really have a choice,” says Suprith, secretary at Sparks Correspondence Institute.He however says that there is no harm in learning Kannada too. “We do offer a couple of courses in Kannada, but the number of takers for these programmes is close to negligible. However, there are quite a few students who have decided to take Kannada as an extra subject along with their regular course,” he adds.There are quite a few courses in Kannada that can land any student in a better position in terms of pay and designation. But, the demand for such courses is deteriorating in some institutions.Dr Muthiaih Gowda, Principal of S E A group of institutions comments, “Well, I have done my MA in Kannada. And, to be honest I had faced a lot of difficulties initially. I always encourage my students to take a basic course in English. The whole IT culture has changed the scenario drastically. Also, there is a certain coolness factor associated with not knowing Kannada today.But, that should not deter students from learning the language. We have many students who are pursuing BCom in Kannada. And, a student from Uganda has shown interest in learning Kannada too.” Unlike the popular myth, students pursing a major in Kannada have a galore of opportunities in fields like readers, professors, journalists and lecturers in varied universities, in both government as well as non-government colleges in India or perhaps even a career in Sandalwood.