PhD students at MSU can now write thesis in Gujarati, Hindi

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VADODARA: M S University, which prides itself as Gujarat's only English medium university, has given permission to PhD students of university's faculty of performing arts (FPA) to write their thesis in Gujarati or Hindi in addition to English.

The permission was granted by MSU's syndicate members on Saturday when they approved the minutes of the meeting of the Council of Post-Graduate Research and Studies, popularly known as P G Council.

Based on the recommendations of P G Council, the members granted recognition as PhD guides to several teachers and permitted students of FPA to write their thesis in Gujarati or Hindi.

The issue of allowing PhD students to write their thesis in local Gujarati or Hindi, the national language, has remained contentious.

In the past too, the faculty board of FPA had proposed to get such permission, but it was rejected by the university officials on the grounds that MSU is an English medium university.

So far, the university was allowing only students of languages like Gujarati, Hindi and Marathi among others to write the thesis in the languages they pursued their studies in.

With the university's syndicate taking the controversial decision, there are apprehensions that the university may soon lose its distinction if such proposals from other faculties too are approved.

MSU's officer on special duty (registrar) Dr Amit Dholakia, however, said the permission has been granted to FPA as a special case.

"Teachers and students of FPA have been arguing that traditionally artists who join the faculty are not very well conversed with English. Also, the literature of the subject is not available in English. It is impossible to translate the terminologies of subjects like classical music and classical dance in English. Hence, the syndicate members cleared the proposal," he said.

During the meeting, the syndicate members also approved minutes of other committees and appointments, including that of five ex-servicemen in the university's vigilance squad for enhancing security on the campus.