NESO demands Centre to revoke its decision making Hindi a compulsory subject in NE

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 12, 2022

The North East Students’ Organization (NESO) on Tuesday demanded the Centre to revoke its decision to make Hindi as a compulsory subject till Class X in all the eight North eastern states.

In a letter shot to the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, NESO chairman Samuel B Jyrwa said, “NESO is of the view that indigenous languages should be made compulsory in their native states till the 10th standard and Hindi should remain as an optional or elective subject. We urged upon your office and the Parliamentary Official Language Committee to revoke the previous decision and instead take due consideration of our proposals and suggestions.”

Stating that the Hindi language accounts for approximately 40-43 percent of native speakers in India, he said it is however worth noted that there is a plethora of other native languages in India which are rich, thriving and vibrant in their own perspectives giving India an image of a diverse and multi-lingual nation.

He added, in the NER each state bears its own unique and diversified languages spoken by different ethnic groups ranging from Indo-Aryan, to Tibeto-Burman, to Austro-Asiatic families.

In the region, a native or indigenous language or a mother tongue is an important marker for a community. Native or indigenous languages are being further enriched in terms of all aspects such as in literature, academics and arts.

Jyrwa said the imposition of Hindi as a compulsory subject in the NER will be detrimental not only for the propagation and dissemination of the indigenous languages but also to students who will be compelled to add another compulsory subject to their already vast syllabus.

“The NESO is vehemently against this policy and will continue to oppose as it had done in the past. As per the understanding of the organization, such a move will not usher in unity but will be a tool to create apprehensions and disharmony. Also, a move to make one of the MIL subjects as compulsory is more or less like belittling the indigenous language spoken and written by a particular community,” he said.

“NESO would like to urge upon your office to withdraw such an unfavourable policy but instead should focus on how to further uplift the indigenous languages of the North East region such as incorporation in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and facilitating more schemes for their development and progress,” the NESO chief added.