[lg policy] INdia: German as 3rd language was a policy violation

[Harold Schiffman]

German as 3rd language was a policy violation’

Akshaya Mukul,TNN | Apr 10, 2015, 02.22 AM IST

READ MORE Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan|Kendriya Vidyalayas|German schools




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NEW DELHI: The HRD ministry's internal inquiry into the signing of a
memorandum of understanding with Germany making German the third language
in Kendriya Vidyalayas has revealed that neither the Kendriya Vidyalaya
Sangathan (KVS) nor the ministry realized that it was violative of the
three language formula.

In fact, at one point, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, a deemed university
under the HRD ministry, pointed out that the 2011 MoU was in contravention
of the three language formula and needed to be looked at again. But no
action was taken from the ministry or KVS.

"Objection should have been raised when the proposal for MoU came from KVS
but it was cleared by the academic council and KVS Board without any due
diligence. The ministry also treated the MoU in a routine manner," a source
said.

The issue snowballed into a major row and the Supreme Court later accepted
the Centre's proposal that KV students of Class VI, VII and VIII will not
have to take examination for third Indian language Sanskrit and they may
continue to study German as an optional subject.

After the SC order, sources said, it was clear that the MoU was illegal and
against the national policy of having an Indian language as the third
language in schools.

Meanwhile, as first reported by TOI, the HRD ministry has finalized a new
MoU to be signed with Germany. However, unlike the earlier MoU which made
German the third language in Kendriya Vidyalayas, the new one will be
limited to teaching the language as an optional subject and push for Hindi
to be taught in German schools.

Three specific clauses of the earlier MoU will be changed. The new MoU will
state that it is being signed to promote German in KVs as an optional
subject.

"After the inquiry and the new MoU, the controversy should be over. The
idea behind the inquiry is not to penalize but to ensure that in future,
government does not sign MoUs without discussion. The view of the foreign
ministry will be a must. This time, we have followed the procedure and kept
national interest in mind," a source said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/German-as-3rd-language-was-a-policy-violation/articleshow/46870493.cms

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