RGUHS to introduce Kannada textbook for medical students, directs special faculty at all affiliated colleges

Bengaluru: In a bid to encourage candidates to learn Kannada language, Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) has introduced a Kannada textbook from the current academic year for the non-native candidates. In this regard, all medical and health institutes affiliated to RGUHS will mandatorily have to appoint a Kannada faculty.

Confirmation to this effect was given by Dr S Sacchidananda, Director, RGUHS to media persons.

The text-book namely The Balake Kannada textbook was unveiled on November 5 during a Kannada Rajyotsava event. It is a bilingual textbook co-authored by Dr PS Shankar and Dr P Mahadevaiah. The book will help non-Kannadiga candidates to learn to speak basic Kannad Language as it contains words and small sentences with English meanings. It also contains medical terminology including human body parts, anatomical structure and symptoms of common disorders which will allow candidates to converse with patients.

This comes at a time when recently a female PG medical student associated with Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) became a victim of a brutal assault allegedly by members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) for not speaking in Kannada.

Also Read: Mob ATTACK at BMCRI: Female PG Medico assaulted over failing to speak Kannada

The introduction of this textbook will probably serve a blessing in disguise for those students who are unfamiliar with Kannada Language. The move is indeed lauded by the candidates too as it will prove to be of great help to them, especially during their one-year internship program.

"The book contains words and small sentences, and also has English meanings. It familiarises students with consonants, vowels and compound consonants. The annexure at the end features medical terms in Kannada. This has to be utilised while teaching," Dr Shankar, professor emeritus, RGUHS explains as quoted by TOI.

Each year more than 30-35 per cent of MBBS and BDS students are Non-Kannadiga candidate. Though learning Kannada was encouraged earlier as well, no textbook was available.