New Delhi, Dec. 31 -- In line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a new Ability Enhancement (AEC) academic programme, titled Odia Studies, has been introduced in the current academic year 2025-26 at the Faculty of Arts in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) to strengthen regional language education, cultural literacy, and holistic learning.
As an ability-enhancement course for undergraduates, the programme provides a strong foundation in the Odia language, focusing on its script, grammar, classical status, and regional variations. Emphasising multilingualism and mother-tongue-based learning, it foregrounds Odisha's rich oral traditions, including folk sayings, songs, tales, and performance forms, recognising them as vital repositories of indigenous knowledge and community memory.
A key component of the programme is language communication and skill development, integrating oratory, debate, group discussion, interviews, and contemporary modes of expression such as advertising, feature writing, note-making, and social media communication. Translation practice and vocabulary development further enhance employability-oriented language skills, aligning with NEP's focus on practical and transferable competencies.
The curriculum also introduces students to the diverse forms of Odia written literature, ranging from classical religious and poetic texts to modern prose, biography, and fiction. Through curated readings, learners are encouraged to develop critical thinking, historical awareness, and interpretive skills, aligning with the learner-centric, inquiry-based pedagogical approach conceptualised by the NEP.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.