Academic Reading — Passage 1

The expansion of English as a medium of instruction (EMI) in universities across South Asia has accelerated over the last two decades. Proponents argue that EMI improves graduates’ access to global labour markets and scientific literature. Critics, however, suggest that EMI can widen inequality when students enter tertiary study without sufficient English proficiency, forcing institutions to choose between academic rigour and pass rates. Nepal’s universities have experimented with mixed models: foundational English courses, bilingual glossaries in STEM subjects, and peer-led study groups. Early evidence is mixed. Some faculties report higher citation rates and international collaboration after EMI adoption, while others note higher dropout risk among first-generation students from rural districts. A recurring policy tension is assessment design. If examinations remain translation-heavy, students may memorise model answers rather than develop disciplinary thinking in English. Conversely, fully English assessments without scaffolding can measure language ability more than subject mastery. Several institutions have introduced “English for Specific Purposes” modules aligned to each department, though staffing and materials remain constraints. Despite challenges, demand for EMI continues to grow, driven partly by student aspirations for postgraduate study abroad and partly by employers who treat English fluency as a proxy for professional readiness. Whether EMI should be the default pathway is not universally agreed; what is clear is that implementation quality matters more than the label on the prospectus.