Bhubaneswar: A special sensitization programme titled “Odia Language: A Teaching Aid in Technical Education” was conducted at the College of IT & Management Education (CIME) in Bhubaneswar. The event, aimed at promoting the use of Odia as a medium for teaching and learning in technical education, witnessed the participation of prominent dignitaries and educationists.
Minister for Skill Development and Technical Education (SDTE), Sampad Chandra Swain, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. In his address, the Minister emphasized the importance of the Odia language as a medium for acquiring knowledge and understanding complex technical content. He highlighted the state government’s commitment to making technical education more accessible through the local language.
Prof. Amiya Kumar Rath, Vice Chancellor of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT), who hosted the programme, outlined BPUT’s efforts in translating technical textbooks into Odia and distributing them across colleges. He also shared plans to collaborate with translators and reviewers for the second-year B.Tech course books.
Prof. Omkar Nath Mohanty, former Vice Chancellor of BPUT and Chairman of the Project Monitoring Committee of the Indian Odia Science and Research (IOSR), spoke about Odisha’s rich technological heritage. He illustrated how Odias were known for their skills and technical prowess in ancient times, further advocating for the integration of Odia into modern technical education.
Dr. B. B. Biswal, Vice Chancellor of Odisha University of Technology and Research (OUTR), highlighted the potential of using Odia to enhance students’ comprehension of engineering subjects and improve their technical skills.
Tapan Kumar Satapathy, Additional Secretary to the Government in the SDTE Department, praised IOSR’s initiatives, noting their contributions toward promoting Odia in technical education.
During the programme, the second volume of BPUT News was officially launched. This was followed by the launch of a new curriculum framework aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, introduced jointly by the Vice Chancellors of BPUT and OUTR.