No, there is a basic need for integration. these students who come from venecular backgrounds are equally or even more intelligent than their english speaking colleagues, but they loose out because most of the information they need to understand is in an alien language. I principally think that mother tongue should be taught by "mothers"and in schools as an optional subject and we should have a universal language taught at the primary school levels so that our student the Indian student from any corner of India is not disadvantaged only because he/she has not been exposed to a universal language because of the bias of politics/society....

It depends on the local language and the staff of teaching but let's say that at least for undergraduate dental students (UG), the understanding of the course and the practice (demonstration) is more important if the student with very low background of english, the teaching should be in their local language to better qualify them but still we have to prepare them for english since some of them will sure go for postgraduate studies (PG). In this case, PG students have to use english more than UG students due to most of the references, journals internet and the updated recent books are in english as well as the conferences and international communications. This is a part of PG course.

It dependance when students are also treating patiënts, it is very important that they understand the local language and are able to communicate with their patients.

Yes,i agree,but i find it v difficult to teach everything in a local language.

And we have so many of these languages.

For THE students it is very important to be able to read and write in English to be able to be a lief- long learner

V true...i remember the time i as teaching in gujrat and my students did not know english well.

I actually suggested to my dean "lets start a class for learning english".

Unfortunately, he felt it wasnt necessary and there was no time.e

Very nice aspect of teaching is discussed here. My personal thought about this is that the basic medium used should be english only but we can promote the students to ask us if the terminology is not clear to them so that we can give an explanation for the same in english and as much possible in local language. This will benefit the profession as a whole as the students of today are going to be the treating doctors of tomorrow (of course depending on their potential)

Thanks saurabh.

I often have to explain concepts in the local language

Dear Arnavaz,

I would like to get involved in the discussion with a slightly different point of view. Many of our patients can only express theirselfs in a rural origin language (different dialects). Our undergraduates work in direct contact with clients and patients. By this way, the UG have to discuss with the patients their health and therapy program. Therefore the UG must learn how the clients and patients express their feelings and their ideas and thoughts. Complications are even greater when the UG come from completely different languages. For this reason, we do quality assurance lessons in professional language. Later, when the students get into research, it goes only to the English. But the first step of communication has to be clear understanding and how patients put problems into simple words. We have good experience with this means.

I agree..when we go to rural areas, we need to learn and communicate in the local language

Ofcourse not ,, or else you wouldn't be asking this Q in english and I wouldn't ansewr you in english ,,

English is the universal language of science ,,

However, I support the idea of having one course in the local language concentrating on communication skills in translating the science taught into simple local words that patients can understand ,,

Thanks for raising such an important issue ..

local language can be used at undergraduate level but partially and specially when there is not foreign student in the students.