New Delhi: The famed University of Cambridge is coming down heavily on Hindi, Sanskrit and Portuguese languages.
The University has decided to cut down on the languages as they say that the demand for these language courses at the undergraduate level is declining day by day.
However, the decision is not as simple as it seems. Many of the faculty are up in arms at the decision, with some having taken voluntary retirement at the decision.
Others say that the decision is of dubious legality. They say that the cut means students will have reading knowledge of the languages, but no writing or spoken knowledge.
The Faculty of Oriental Studies says that Hindi and Sanskrit have already been cut as a full BA honours degree subject.
Antonio Santana Carlos, the Portuguese Ambassador, has, according to news agency PTI, expressed concern, and a petition against the cuts - part of moves to reduce debt - has attracted 8,330 signatures.
Portugal spends 20,000 pounds a year on a language-teaching post, through the Instituto Camboes, and Carlos is to "defend" Portuguese as a full undergraduate subject.
No such petition has been started in India yet.
This is not the first time that languages have been downsized in the University. Three Scandinavian languages - Czech, Polish, Serbo-Croat and Hungarian - which were earlier taught at the University have all been scrapped now.
(With inputs from PTI)
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