Page 21 - EducationWorld September 2020

With BUCTU representing the fac- N a th a n , convenor of the Chennai-
ulty of only 350 of the 823 colleges af- based Campaign for Language
filiated with MU, data about the status Equality and Rights (estb.2015).
of faculty and staff of the remaining Also the author of several books
colleges affiliated with MU, is un- including Moz hi Engal U y iruk k u
available. Ideally, MU’s local inquiry N er, a 500-page tome on language
committee (LIC), a three-member rights movement in India, Nathan
watchdog appointed by the university believes that Tamil Nadu’s two-
to inspect affiliated colleges, should language formula introduced in
have investigated their condition. 1968, has served the state well. “The
More so, since almost all the colleges two-language formula of Tamil Nadu
named but not shamed by BUCTU, has been quite successful. The state’s
figured in the LIC’s list of affiliation literacy rate was 80.33 percent in
norm violators in 2017-18 and 2018- 2011, way above the national aver-
19. At that time, the MU management age. While we regard English rather
had refrained from taking any action than Hindi as the official and link
on these colleges, citing the negative language of India, we are in favour
impact disaffiliation would have on Senthil Nathan: covert Hindi imposition of all children having the right to get
their students. primary education in their mother
Nothing seems to have changed will be imposed on any state,” and tongue,” adds Nathan.
since then. secondly, “wherever possible, the version to Hindi being imposed
Dipta Joshi (Mumbai) medium of instruction until at least Aupon the country as the na-
grade V, but preferably till grade tional language has a long history in
TAMIL NADU VIII and beyond, will be the home Tamil Nadu. Before India wrested its
Needless language/mother-tongue/local freedom from British rule, founder
of the Dravidian movement Periyar
language/regional language... This
resurrection will be followed by both public and E.V. Ramasamy opposed a decision
of the revered C.R. Rajagopalachari,
private schools”.
Although seemingly liberal, these then chief minister, to accept Hindi
LTHOUGH THE ALL INDIA ADMK proposals are like a red rag to a bull as a compulsory subject in secondary
(AIADMK) ruling party is an for Tamil Nadu’s politicians and two schools. Subsequently in the 1960s
Aally of the BJP/NDA gov- major political parties – AIADMK when Hindi was proposed as the
ernment at the Centre, the three- and the opposition DMK -- which national language, riots broke out
languages learning formula for all rose to power in the 1960s when in Tamil Nadu and several southern
school-going children proposed in Hindi was proposed to be legislated states, forcing the Congress govern-
the new National Education Policy as the national language of India. ment at the Centre to declare Hindi
(NEP) 2020 has been rejected out- “The three-language formula re- as the ‘official’ language and English
right by the state government and iterated by NEP 2020 is a covert at- as the associate official language.
indeed by all political formations in tempt to once again impose Hindi as The fundamental objection of
Tamil Nadu (pop. 68 million). the national language. Since schools Tamil Nadu’s political class is that
On August 3, chief minister Edap- cannot afford teachers for all 29 if Hindi is accepted as the national
padi K. Palaniswami forthrightly said major languages of India, and Hindi language of government, courts
that the people of Tamil Nadu would is widely spoken, the assumption and business, graduates from north
never accept the Centre’s three- behind the three-language formula is India’s Hindi-language states — UP,
language policy, and would continue that most schools will adopt Hindi as Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh
to teach two languages in the state’s one of the three languages mandated among others — would enjoy un-
37,500 government schools. Nor by NEP 2020. I am not against Hindi merited advantage in government
would it enforce the three-language being taught to school students. But employment and the professions. On
mandate of NEP 2020 in private the three-language formula violates the other hand, English — or more
schools statewide. equality. In 1968, the Union govern- pertinently Inglish — is neutral and
NEP 2020 approved by the Union ment had said that Hindi, English creates a level playing field for all
cabinet on July 29, mandates two and one southern language would be citizens of India.
language learning proposals — all taught in all states. Hardly any of the Nevertheless, proponents of the
school-going children should learn Hindi-speaking states have followed two-language formula take pains to
three languages but “no language this formula,” says a z h i S e n th il stress that they are not against chil-
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