Patna: In a move aimed at broadening the global horizons of Bihar’s engineering graduates, the state government has formally introduced French and German language studies in 15 government engineering colleges, with plans to expand the programme to all 38 such institutions in the near future.
The initiative, inaugurated on Tuesday by Bihar’s Chief Secretary Amrit Lal Meena, is being seen as part of the state’s broader efforts to enhance the employability and global competitiveness of its youth. Speaking at the online launch event from his office in Patna, Chief Secretary Meena underscored the value of foreign language skills in a globalised economy and shared his own experiences of how such skills open doors to international opportunities and cross-cultural understanding.
The programme, spearheaded by the Department of Science, Technology and Technical Education (DSTTE), follows the successful completion of a pilot phase. In a comprehensive presentation, DSTTE secretary Dr Pratima outlined the project’s objectives and its roadmap for statewide expansion. The department is also eyeing the addition of Japanese language studies, a move officials believe would further bolster the job prospects of Bihar’s engineering graduates in overseas markets.
“This is not just about language skills; it is about preparing our youth to compete and collaborate on a global platform,” Meena said. He reflected on the transformation Bihar’s technical education landscape has undergone in the past decade, crediting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s vision of economic stability through youth empowerment, encapsulated in the slogan Aarthik Bal, Yuvaon Ka Hal.
The state’s engineering colleges have seen significant infrastructure upgrades, new faculty appointments and modernised curricula over the years. The introduction of foreign language labs, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, is the latest chapter in this evolution. Principals, faculty members and students from all 38 engineering colleges joined the virtual event, during which students demonstrated their budding French and German skills by introducing themselves and engaging in conversations, impressing officials with their confidence and fluency.
Chief Secretary Meena called for greater international collaboration, directing the department to forge partnerships and MoUs with foreign universities. He advocated for student exchange programmes, research collaborations, and language immersion initiatives that would help engineering students not only gain academic exposure abroad but also bring global best practices back to Bihar.
“This is a defining moment for Bihar’s technical education,” Meena concluded, congratulating DSTTE officials for their efforts. “We are now on the path to making our engineering colleges institutions of national eminence.”
The initiative is part of DSTTE’s broader capacity-building programmes, which aim to bridge the gap between academic learning and global industry expectations.
