Nikhil Aiyush Kumar 
Fijian academics are rethinking how language is taught and assessed, as educators warn that artificial intelligence and translation tools are weakening students’ writing and creative skills.
University of the South Pacific Hindi lecturer Bhagirati Bhan says a growing number of students now rely on Google searches, Google Translate, and AI-generated content to complete assignments, often submitting work they have not written or fully understood.
While the problem affects many subjects, he argues it poses a particular challenge for language learning, where writing, expression, and originality are essential.
“Students search in English, paste the text into Google Translate and submit it as Hindi.”
During a discussion on the future of the Hindi Language, Bhan states that the copied or generated content may look correct, but the thinking, creativity and learning aspects are missing.
According to other educators, this trend has reduced students’ confidence in writing Hindi independently and has weakened their grasp of grammar, sentence construction and critical thinking.
They say the issue is not technology itself, but how it is being used as a shortcut rather than a learning aid.
To address such problems, universities are introducing new assessment methods that limit students’ dependence on AI tools.
Despite, the challenges, educators remain hopeful and believe technology can still support Hindi learning if used responsibly, through digital resources such as Hindi podcasts, online lectures and educational videos.
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