Chhattisgarh’s hindi MBBS initiative sees zero admissions in 2025–26

Raipur | Correspondent: The Chhattisgarh government's initiative to provide medical education in Hindi has suffered a major setback this year. Despite a significant policy shift announced last session to help rural and Hindi-speaking students pursue MBBS studies in their own language, not a single student has opted for the Hindi-medium MBBS course for the 2025-26 academic session.

This development has raised a crucial question: are students themselves hesitant to choose Hindi for medical studies?

Chhattisgarh has approximately 2,000 MBBS seats across 14 government and private medical colleges. Last session, only two students opted for the Hindi medium, but this year the number has dropped to zero.

Experts say the biggest hurdle is the dominance of English medical terminology, coupled with the fear that Hindi-medium education might limit their global competitiveness.

Dr. Rakesh Gupta, former president of the IMA Raipur, termed the decision impractical, arguing that all standard medical textbooks are in English, and students prioritize English to remain internationally relevant.

He cited RTI findings indicating a lack of clarity on the availability and quality of Hindi-medium study materials, further deepening doubts about the implementation.

Ironically, 70 percent of those admitted to MBBS come from Hindi-speaking backgrounds, yet they hesitate to deviate from the established English curriculum. Officials say that due to zero demand, Hindi-medium classes have been canceled for this year.

Director of Medical Education, Dr. U.S. Paikra, stated that the government has fulfilled its responsibility by making Hindi study materials available, and the choice between Hindi and English "rests entirely with the student." He added that the state has ensured that language is not a barrier.

The issue has sparked a political debate. Congress media cell president Sushil Anand Shukla called the move hasty and unrealistic, questioning the practicality of teaching modern medicine in Hindi.