Kamal Ghorui
The All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has launched the third edition of its flagship AICTE-VAANI (Vibrant Advocacy for Advancement and Nurturing of Indian Languages) scheme, reaffirming its commitment to promoting Indian languages in technical education. The scheme was inaugurated by AICTE Chairman Prof. Yogesh Singh, along with the release of the scheme document and a dedicated online portal for applications.Addressing the launch, Prof. Yogesh Singh stated that the AICTE-VAANI scheme aims to build a strong and inclusive knowledge ecosystem in regional languages, enabling students and researchers to access the latest technological advancements in their native languages. He emphasized that the initiative will encourage the publication of research papers in Indian languages and strengthen collaboration between academia and industry, thereby enhancing the reach and impact of technical knowledge across diverse linguistic groups. He further noted that many students, after completing their schooling in their mother tongue, face challenges when they enter higher education and encounter English as the medium of instruction, and added that they can perform much better when concepts are taught in their native languages.AICTE Member Secretary Prof. Shyama Rath said that the scheme will play a vital role in making technical education more accessible and meaningful for students across the country. She further remarked that ensuring the availability of study material and creating a supportive academic environment in students’ mother languages will greatly benefit learners and contribute to the overall progress of the nation.Under the scheme, financial assistance of Rs. 4 crore will be provided annually to support 200 conferences, seminars, and workshops, with each selected institution receiving Rs. 2 lakh. These events will be conducted over a duration of two to three days and will be organized in 22 regional languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Urdu, and others. The scheme will cover 16 thrust areas in emerging domains such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, Quantum Technology, Hydrogen Energy, Cybersecurity, Space and Defense, and Agrotech. Applications from AICTE-approved institutions will be invited online from April 18 to May 17, 2026 through the AICTE-ATAL portal at https://www.aicte-india.org/atal. Since its inception, the VAANI scheme has facilitated the publication of over 200 research papers in Indian languages, contributed to the development of a robust knowledge base, encouraged content creation, and fostered collaborations between institutions and industry. The initiative continues to promote inclusivity and equal opportunity in technical education across India.
