Commencing in 2026.
Graduates of NLSIU enter professions that demand strong proficiency in Indian languages. Whether in the courts, public administration, policy, or creative media, the ability to work with formal language, engage in sustained conversation, and think critically in regional languages is a foundational expectation of higher education.
The Programme in Indian Languages and Literatures at NLSIU fosters a multilingual imagination in student learning. We believe that the ability to think, speak, and write across languages is a core strength of a university education. This programme will interest students preparing for a legal professional career, competitive examinations, those working closely with communities who speak these languages, those working in the domain of regional media, and anyone keen to explore and research India’s rich literary and cultural traditions.
Beginning in 2026, NLSIU will offer Kannada and Hindi courses at the beginner and intermediate levels (with plans to expand the language offerings), along with an advanced elective. In addition, certificate courses open to the public will combine communication skills with cultural appreciation. All courses are designed to develop students’ abilities to listen attentively, speak fluently, read critically, and write persuasively.
In Language and Literature, Level 1, students’ language abilities will be assessed at the outset to facilitate a peer-learning approach. Over the 50-hour course, students will learn to read a new script, hold brief conversations, translate simple texts, interpret government circulars, and create multimedia projects. Weekly exercises will include voice recordings on everyday themes, short reviews of magazine columns, brief interviews with Hindi or Kannada speakers, and engagement with materials such as cooking videos, social media posts, customer care messages, and bank forms.
In Language and Literature, Level 2, students will deepen their linguistic and cultural understanding by engaging with popular periodicals, summarising viewpoints, and developing formal writing skills. The course cultivates students’ cultural sensibility and awareness of developments shaping regional languages today, while preparing them to engage effectively in public discourse, including readiness for civil service examinations.
The Language and Literature courses combine established approaches to language learning with insights from cultural studies. The programme emphasises immersive learning through interactive sessions, field visits, and translation, supported by collaborative formats such as small-group learning and peer projects. Teaching is multimodal, using films, songs, signage, podcasts, popular literature and essays, while directed readings integrate linguistic practice with social themes to foster both language proficiency and critical understanding.
Students’ readiness will be assessed, and those without prior proficiency will attend preparatory classes before beginning Level 1. Progression to Level 2 requires a Pass in Level 1, and students in the top 25 per cent will receive an Honours (H) grade.
We may make clear that all BA Hons students will take on Level 1 language course. Students from other courses will do this as an elective and be assessed by that schema – regular grading
The programme will also offer elective courses on literature and popular culture, taught by scholars and writers in the field. These electives will support students’ growing interest in the history of intellectual traditions in India, performance arts, creative writing, and media production.
For further information, please write to Dr. Atreyee Majumder at