For weeks, Ananya had been excitedly waiting for her first day at a private college in Bhubaneswar. However, her excitement didn’t last long. She sat through the Physics lecture of the Plus II course on the first day with a blank face. For Ananya, it was all Greek. She had been an Odia-medium student and following lectures in English was quite difficult for her given her unfamiliarity with the language.
Ananya, a brilliant student, had scored good grades and easily earned a seat in a prestigious college. But she was hesitant about asking the meaning of terms she did not understand during the lecture. However, she heaved a sigh of relief when at the end of the class the professor asked if everyone was able to follow the lecture. Without a second thought, she shared her problem. Drawing courage from her, many other students echoed her sentiments. The professor understood the problem and from the next class, he gave lectures in simple English, and at times also in Odia, to make the students comfortable.
However, not everyone is as lucky as Ananya. The inability of students from Odia-medium schools to cope well with English lectures at the Plus II level has been a long-standing problem in the state. Despite coming out with flying colours in their matriculation exams and securing a seat in prestigious private colleges, students have struggled in their Plus II, thanks to the switch in the medium of learning and communication. This not only takes a toll on their academics but also dents their confidence, as they shy away from mingling with students from English-medium schools.
The good thing is that colleges are finally waking up to this problem and are taking steps to smoothen the transition. Many colleges now request their teaching staff to take special care of such students so that the institute can continue to get good results. However, it is still a long journey as the process won’t be that easy.
Sujit Mohapatra completed his Class X from Secondary Board High School, a Cuttack-based Odia-medium school. Sujit, who is today the vice-president of a US-based software company, says, “I faced a lot of problems. Understanding the questions in national and state-level entrance exams like the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination is just one of them. Students from Odia medium face several problems like slow writing speed in English. Poor knowledge of English becomes a handicap when it comes to asking questions and expressing views in the classroom. Sometimes, they become introverts and are at a disadvantage during group discussions.”
“There are many who think that Odia-medium students aren’t as bright and smart as their counterparts from English-medium schools. But they are equally brilliant when it comes to understanding a subject; what they lack is self-confidence when it comes to expressing their thoughts. This is because they are not fluent in English,” he adds.
Sujit was a brilliant student having scored enviable marks in all major science subjects. But when it came to learning the same subjects in English it became a challenge for him. In his first year, Sujit used to keep a dictionary with him to understand difficult English words. Within a year, things became easier but participating in group discussions was still difficult. “The good thing is that most teachers try to help the students if they see students are keen on overcoming this challenge,” he says.
There are many teachers who go out of their way to groom students in order to make them feel comfortable and confident. Many also give extra classes to help students.
Deepak Swain, a senior resident doctor at SCBMCH, too found it tough during his transition from Odia to English medium. “The initial days are the most difficult, but things ease with time. Up to matriculation Odia-medium students don’t have any issues as they learn everything in their mother tongue. The problem starts when the medium of instruction changes. It depends on how each student tackles the challenge. Good students have a good base in all subjects. Those who make an effort to learn the language find the problem eases with time. Language is not an issue for a student who is willing to learn and practice. For me, it wasn’t that difficult though I initially struggled.”
Most students from Odia-medium schools say that the medium of instruction in all higher secondary colleges in Odisha is English and following lectures or understanding textbooks isn’t that easy. “There is a lot of pressure and learning a new language makes many students nervous,” says Biswajeet Mohapatra, senior lecturer at a private college.
“Let alone speaking fluent English, even understanding the language is a problem for many students from Odia medium. The problem is greater for Class XI and Class XII students, as they have to prepare for competitive exams like IIT, JEE and others. At the same time, they also have to compete with their batchmates from English-medium background. Many students end up thinking that, despite being good students, they will lose out to their batchmates who are good in English when it comes to national-level entrance exams,” he adds.
Biswajeet suggests that the students should not panic. Instead, they should treat English just like other languages and try to learn it. “The sooner they try that, the faster they will learn the language. It will only help them in the future.” As they move beyond college and enter the professional world, they will again need to have good English-language skills.
“Students using correct English terminologies while studying in Odia-medium schools face fewer problems when they are exposed to an English-speaking environment in Class XII. Hence, Odia-medium students should use English terms while understanding a concept. Once they start using these terminologies, they will automatically be interested in English. They should read English story books. Many students today are taking the help of YouTube and taking lessons in English. Once the vocabulary increases, you will feel confident conversing with friends in English,” says Biswajeet.
Lack of fluency in English often results in Odia-medium students suffering from an inferiority complex and hesitating to mingle with friends who are conversant in English. Sailendu Mohanty, a Class XII student with Odia-medium background, says, “English-medium students are given a choice of not studying Hindi and Sanskrit after Class X but Odia-medium students do not have an option of shunning English as a subject, especially if you choose science or commerce stream. My first year in Plus II was more difficult as English is mandatory for students choosing science. However, I realised that the sooner I learn the language the better for me. It is a lot easier for me now. There are many who love to watch movies and web series with English subtitles. Movies and web series have become a new source of learning for students like us, and subtitling helps in getting a grasp over the language. One can learn new words as well as the pronunciation of the words. However, preparing for competitive exams and, at the same time, learning a new language definitely is a big challenge.”
SOYONG, OP