By Jayanth R

Copyright thehindu

Considering the global job opportunities for engineering graduates, the Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) has decided to establish Foreign Languages Online Platform to teach various foreign languages, including Japanese, German, and French, from the academic year of 2025-26.

Following a suggestion by Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development M.B. Patil, the VTU has taken the initiate to teach foreign languages through an online platform.

Reasons cited by Minister

In his letter to Higher Education Minister Dr. M.C. Sudhakar and VTU recently, Mr. Patil suggested introducing Japanese and German languages as elective courses in the VTU curriculum.

“It has come to our attention that a considerable number of students face challenges in securing employment opportunities in countries such as Japan and Germany, despite their strong technical qualifications. A key impediment in this regard is the language barrier, which often limits both professional integration and everyday adaptability. Japanese, in particular, is widely perceived as a difficult language for non-native speakers, while in Germany, proficiency in the local language, remains a critical requirement in most workplaces and social settings,” he stated in the letter.

Mr. Patil said that it is important to acknowledge the strengthening of economic and industrial ties between India and these nations. Germany continues to be India’s largest trading partner in Europe, with deep collaborations in engineering, manufacturing, and technology. Japan is a strategic partner in India’s infrastructure and high-technology sectors. The growing footprint of German and Japanese companies in India and the increasing demand for Indian engineers abroad makes linguistic competence a valuable asset for our graduates.

160 credit points

VTU Vice-Chancellor S. Vidyashankar told The Hindu, “Since the curriculum is already framed for 160 credit points for engineering courses, foreign languages cannot be included as elective courses. Therefore, we decided to create a new online platform for foreign language learning, which will provide opportunities for learning all languages, including Japanese, German, French and others. Interested students can register and learn the language of their choice online.”