[lg policy] Karnataka: The issue of Hindi being pushed in Karnataka over Kannada,

[Harold Schiffman]

BENGALURU: The issue of Hindi being pushed in Karnataka over Kannada, an
issue which flared up last year, is back again. This time, it is affecting
schools in the state. Private schools affiliated to the Central Board of
Secondary Education (CBSE) are all set to approach the Karnataka High Court
against the mandatory introduction of Kannada as second language by the
state government.

Considering the difficulties in implementing mandatory Kannada rule, which
will be compulsory from the academic year 2018-19, the Managements of
Independent CBSE School Association has decided to file a petition seeking
clarity on the same. Currently, the two language policy is in force at CBSE
schools. However, the schools have been in dilemma after the Union
government made Hindi a mandatory second language.

“We are not saying that we cannot obey the state government’s order. But
the thing is, if we obey this, we will be violating a Central government’s
rule mandating Hindi as second language,” said M Srinivasan, president of
the association.

The petition will be filed by the first week of February at the High Court.
“Only the court can give clarity on this issue. We being the stakeholders
could not think of any other way but to approach the court,” Srinivasan
said. This decision was taken at a recent meeting of all ICSE and CBSE
school managements held in the city.

The school managements are of the opinion that choosing a language should
be the right of the children. The government should not have a say in this.
“Even the Supreme Court judgment in regard to language policy was the same.
It said the choice of language or medium of instruction should always be
the right of the child,” said Mansoor Ali Khan, board member of Delhi
Public School, Bengaluru.

*Schools not obliging will be penalised, says Minister*

The state Primary and Secondary Education Department has taken a decision
to penalise the schools that fail to implement the mandatory Kannada order.
In the beginning, department will collect a penalty of D500 from such
schools. The minister added, “We know the penalty amount is very less. But
our intention is not to collect hefty amount as penalty. We just want to
make them accountable.”

*State sends letter to CBSE*

State Primary and Secondary Education Department has written a letter to
the CBSE stating that Kannada is a must in all Karnataka schools.
Department Minister Tanveer Sait said, “The communication has already been
made to CBSE saying that we do not know about other states but Kannada is a
must in Karnataka and the schools should introduce it as second language.
If there are conflicts, let the board clarify the same with the schools
affiliated to it.”


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 Harold F. Schiffman

Professor Emeritus of
 Dravidian Linguistics and Culture
Dept. of South Asia Studies
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305

Phone:  (215) 898-7475
Fax:  (215) 573-2138

Email:  haroldfs at gmail.com
http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/

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