Three Years On, MBBS In Hindi Slow To Take Off In Madhya Pradesh

Three years after Madhya Pradesh made headlines as the first Indian state to introduce MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) education in Hindi, the ambitious project is still struggling to find its pulse. In October 2022, the fanfare was loud - Hindi-translated medical textbooks were launched in Bhopal and the move was declared a "historic step." The promise? That the next generation of doctors would speak - and treat patients in - the language of the people.

But when NDTV visited Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal, the state's premier government medical institute, the picture was more complex. "I studied in Hindi... but gave the exam in English," says Ankit Pandey, a second-year MBBS student. "No one stopped us from using Hindi, but everyone around us slowly shifted to English for better marks, for a better future."

Ankit, like many others, comes from a Hindi-medium background. He entered the college thinking this experiment would bridge the language gap. But soon, reality hit: technical terms in Hindi were awkward, exam patterns still leaned towards English, and career prospects still demanded English proficiency. 

"This isn't about preference, it's about survival," adds Daksh, another student. "If I want to go for my post-graduation or work in a metro city, English is essential. If I only study in Hindi, I'll be a doctor trapped in a regional bubble."

The government spent Rs 10 crore to print Hindi medical books, distribute them across libraries, and set up translation panels. "The books are available. But I haven't seen a single student take their Physiology exam in Hindi," says Dr Rakesh Malviya, President of the Medical Teachers' Association.

The reason? It's not that students are rejecting the language, they are just unsure whether the system will reward it. There's no separate Hindi-medium form. No clear data. And, in an exam-driven profession, no one wants to risk uncertainty.

Kavita Singh, Dean of Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal, said: "15-20% of students come from Hindi medium backgrounds. They struggle at first. But most eventually shift to English to keep up."

In smaller towns like Jabalpur and Satna, however, the story is different. Here, students are actually writing exams in Hindi and doing well. Chetna Jharia, from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, says: "I gave the first-year exam in Hindi. When the books came in my language, I finally started understanding." 

Sheetal Kori, a student at Hitkarini Dental College, recalled, "When the question came in Hindi, I could answer freely. Earlier I used to lag behind, now I feel confident."

But these success stories are a fairly small percentage of the total.

The Vice Chancellor of the Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University, Dr Ashok Khandelwal, said, "We don't have exact numbers. Some colleges say 10-15% took theory exams in Hindi. Others say 50% used mixed language in practicals. But no comprehensive data exists." 

Government's Take

Rajendra Shukla, Minister of Public Health & Medical Education, said, "Nearly 15 to 20 per cent of students are studying using a mix of Hindi and English, and they're doing quite well with it."

Dr Lokendra Dave, nodal officer of the Hindi Cell, said the language is not being enforced on anybody. 

"This is a trust-building step. We're not enforcing Hindi. We're just creating space for it. A student should not be judged by the language they write in," he said.