Python as the third language in the Three Language Formula
Cr Sundar (~cr) |
Description:
I wish to propose that Python should be considered as the third language in our Three Language Formula.
The modern times are internet based. Almost everything is run and maintained on line and one is not far away from the world wide web at any time. In the years to come the influence of internet on our lives is only going to increase many folds. Under these circumstances it is necessary that our future generations must be familiar with internet languages, coding and writing programs that can run on various table top and hand held devices.
Therefore it is essential that we include the teaching of computer languages in our education systems.
The Ministry of Education has since 1968 been harping on a 'three language formula'. At the outset it must be agreed that a three language formula is suitable for a diverse country like ours. However we find that through the decades the policy has failed.
The reason for this is successive governments have erred in the choice of languages. They have rightly given the first and second place in the formula to regional languages and English. It is in the choice of the third language that they have gone wide off the mark.
For the third language they have said that non-Hindi states should take on Hindi as the third language. Hindi is strongly opposed by non-Hindi states as an imposition of a language upon them. On the other hand Hindi states only pay lip service to other Indian languages as the third language. Therefore the present form of three language formula has been a success.
However, the Three Language Formula could find acceptance by all States of our country if, keeping with modern times, we choose a Computer Language such as Python as the third language. This will increase the computer literacy in our country which is a prerequisite for the future.
The main advantage of Python is that it is an Open Source and Community Developed language that is easy to learn and has support available. It has a user-friendly Data Structure, it is beneficial for productivity and speed.
It is a superb language for teaching programming both at the introductory and in the more advanced courses. There are many courses that teach basic skills for scientific computing, running bootcamps and providing open-access teaching materials.
Python is used in many applications and domains. It is widely used in scientific and numeric computations. It is the preferred language for Artificial Intelligence. It offers many choices for web development such as Django and Flask and advanced content management systems. Python's standard library supports many Internet protocols.
Hence Python should be chosen as the third language of Modern Three Language Formula. In this modernised form the priority of languages should be as follows:-
First Language (The Anchor) - Regional Language
Second Language (The Global Link) - English
Third Language (The Future) - Python
Such a Modern Three Language Formula may be acceptable to all States and can be applied uniformly for the whole country.
Prerequisites:
Nil
Speaker Info:
Lt Col CR Sundar is a retired Army Officer from the MADRAS Regiment.
He is an alumnus of Sainik School, Amaravathi Nagar, National Defence Academy, Khadakvasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He has qualified in various weapons courses at the Infantry School, Mhow. He has done the Junior Command Course and Senior Command Course at the College of Combat, Mhow. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, where he earned his M Sc (Defence Studies) degree.
He has served in the deserts of Rajasthan, the plains of Punjab, the high Himalayas and in the jungles of Eastern India. He took part in the Indo-Pak war of 1971 which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh.
He is a prolific writer. His book "General Kumaramangalam His Life and Times" is widely read in military circles.
On retirement he devoted his time to providing suitable employment to ExServicemen. He is also involved in various social causes and has been instrumental in saving the Madambakkam Lake.
Since 2016 he has taken to learning computer languages and is a member of ChennaiPy since then.
Speaker Links:
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