Guwahati: Cotton University has introduced Post Graduate Diploma course in Nepali language from this academic session.
Vice-Chancellor of Cotton University Dr. Bhabesh Goswami formally inaugurated the course at MCB Building Conference Hall at the university on Monday.
Speaking at the inauguration, Dr Goswami said a full-fledged PG course could be introduced in future if Gorkha students are willing to obtain PG degree in their mother tongue.
Classes for the Post Graduate Diploma course will commence from Thursday. So far 12 students have enrolled for the course, he shared.
Cotton University is the first university in the entire Northeast after Sikkim to introduce a diploma course in Nepali in regular mode. The PG Diploma in Nepali language is the first course under the Centre for Language, Culture and Art of Cotton University.
Former senior journalist of Nepali daily ‘Haamro Prajashakti’, Dhaka Ram Kafle has been appointed as an assistant professor, while Dr Khagen Sarma, Assistant Professor of Modern Indian Language & Language Studies in Gauhati University, has been appointed as guest faculty.
Dr. Khagen Sarma, one of the architects behind the introduction of this course, said, “The course is divided into 2 semesters. The PG Diploma certificate will be useful for teaching purposes at different levels. Hope that more students will join the course in the coming years.”
In 2017, the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha (ANSS), a literary organization of Gorkhas, demanded to open a Centre for Nepali Culture and Language, and accordingly the executive council of Cotton University approved introduction of the PG diploma course in Nepali language. The ANSS also demanded for creation of post of Assistant Prof of Nepali for the same.
Ramesh Bastola, General Secretary of Bharatiya Gorkha Yuva Parisangh (BGYP), hailed the initiative of the the pioneer institute of the Northeast for introduction of the first regular PG Diploma course in the Nepali language.
The Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha (ANSS), All Assam Gorkha Students Union (AAGSU), Assam Gorkha Sammelan (AGS) and the Bharatiya Gorkha Parisangh (BGP) thanked the Cotton University Executive Council and Vice Chancellor for the move as it will largely benefit the Nepali-speaking Gorkha community of the state.
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