PG Courses in Bhutia, Lephcha, Limbo Languages to Start in Sikkim University

The nodal education body- University Grants Commission has permitted to Sikkim University to start two-year postgraduate degree course in three more languages - Lepcha ,Bhutia and Limbo languages, from this current academic year starting in from August.

While giving the information the register of Sikkim University said, “Now Sikkim University would be the first in the country to offer postgraduate courses in these three languages. These three languages have been declared by UNESCO as endangered languages. There will be 20 students for each of the language where students can be admitted.”

Sikkim University has 12 affiliated colleges and offers 29 post-graduate courses where Nepali is also taught in the colleges both at undergraduate and post- graduate level. Of these 12 affiliated colleges three colleges only teach these three languages at the Undergraduate level.

The appointment of the teachers for these three languages would take time but for the time being local language expert would be recruited on the contractual basis.

Earlier Vice-Chancellor of the University T.B. Subba had written to the UGC for its approval to introduce these three languages in the courses of the University. The UGC immediately responded the move on the part of the University.

On last April, several representatives of these three communities had submitted a memorandum to Ram Shankar Katheria-the Union minister of state for human resource development seeking his nod for the PG course.

There was jubilation amongst the members of three communities. They welcomed the move on the part of the UGC. "This is a good move on the part of UGC and we welcome the move for the preservation of ethnic and endangered literature and language," said the president of Limbo Literary Society.