IT hub Bangalore imposes fine on English

[Harold F. Schiffman]

IT hub Bangalore imposes fine on English

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 2007 10:41:38 AM]

BANGALORE: Teaching English in violation of the 1994 language policy? Be
prepared to pay a penalty of Rs 1 lakh! Acting tough on erring school
managements, the Karnataka government is planning to impose a penalty of
Rs 1 lakh on schools in Bangalore city, Rs 50,000 for schools in
semi-urban areas and Rs 25,000 for institutions in rural areas. Apart from
the penalty, the government is also contemplating legal action.

Allowing a four-year grace period, a cabinet subcommittee on Tuesday
decided to allow existing students in 2,215 schools which had violated the
language policy to continue English medium instruction. However , those
who are getting fresh admissions into these schools must study only in
Kannada/mother tongue medium. Penalty will be imposed on schools, which
continue to teach English for students who seek fresh admissions also. It
will be one-time penalty for institutions. They are statutory bodies and
cannot violate government orders. We cannot let them go scotfree ,
official sources told TOI.

The decision will be ratified by the cabinet before the government issues
an official order on the decision to allow these schools to continue
functioning. The government had ordered closure of these schools, which
had obtained permission to impart education in Kannada or mother tongue
but are teaching in English. To a query on these schools raised by K
Jayaprakash Hegde (Ind) in the legislative assembly on Wednesday, primary
and secondary education minister Basavaraj S Horatti said, I am not
against English education , but these schools are keeping the children in
front of them and blackmailing us. What they have done is illegal , they
should be punished.  I have done my duty as primary and secondary
education minister, it is up to the cabinet to formulate a policy on this
issue.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/IT_hub_Bangalore_imposes_fine_on_English/articleshow/1826191.cms

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