Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Dec 8: The number of students pursuing a postgraduate degree in Kannada literature has declined in recent years, according to Kannada professors from various universities across the state.
Several factors contribute to this decline, including limited job opportunities, shortage of permanent lecturers in Kannada departments, and the lack of new colleges offering courses in humanities.
After completing an MA in Kannada, employment opportunities remain limited. Apart from research and teaching, graduates primarily find openings in the media and entertainment industries. Although many new PU colleges have been established, most prioritize science and commerce education. As a result, literature or language degree courses have been reduced from four semesters to two, leading to fewer lecturer appointments in both government and private colleges, said Prof Nityananda B Shetty from Tumkur University.
“At present, there are a total of 70 students in the first and second years, and 52 students are pursuing full-time or part-time PhDs in Kannada,” Prof Shetty said. “Last year, universities also faced a shortage of qualified teachers for language courses. Many newly appointed lecturers lack expertise in classical texts or modern literature. Instead of teaching original works, they often rely on critical reviews of texts. For example, rather than reading and explaining Pampa Bharata in detail, they refer to critiques of the work. How then can students develop analytical or logical thinking skills?” he questioned.
Dominic Davidappa, director of the Centre for Kannada Studies at Bangalore University, said, “Our Kannada department has two branches — Kannada Literature and Comparative Studies. This year, 53 students are enrolled in Kannada Literature and 13 in Comparative Studies, compared to 57 and 19 respectively last year. Though both branches together have 10 permanent lecturers, we are adopting modern teaching technologies. We have introduced smart boards and started teaching AI tools for translation.”
He further noted that many students from rural areas, including Kolar and Chikkaballapur, are first-generation graduates in their families and villages.
Supporting the observation that many rural students pursue Kannada literature, Dr Chandrashekar Bettalli, guest lecturer at Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies, University of Mysore, said, “We currently have 76 students enrolled in MA Kannada, most of whom are from rural backgrounds. They aspire to become teachers or appear for competitive exams. However, we have only two permanent lecturers and 14 guest faculty members to teach them,” he added.