Govt's Language Advisory Committee to oppose introduction of Hindi in primary education
The Language Advisory Committee, appointed by the state government, which has been against imposition of Hindi as a third language in state schools, has now passed a resolution to oppose its introduction from Class 1. The committee members believe that it is not academically sound to introduce a third language at such a young age, when formal education of two languages just starts for children.
The committee, which comprises language experts and teachers among others, passed the resolution in a meeting held in Pune on Friday. Chairman of the committee Laxmikant Deshmukh, said, 'It is unjust to put the burden of a third language on children. Ideally, there should be only one language at the beginning. But English has been made compulsory, realising its global importance and parents' demand. There is neither any justified reason nor any demand to add a third language.'
Further highlighting that it is worse to make Hindi as the default third language in schools, Deshmukh said, 'Imposition of Hindi is not only confusing to children but is also a cultural onslaught. Even though they use the same script, there are major variations in the way these two languages are written. Starting from grammar rules, use of punctuation marks, sentence structures and even meanings of words, there are major differences. For example, the word 'shiksha' in Hindi means education, but in Marathi, it means punishment. This confusion at the early stage of learning a language can impact the quality of language education.'
Deshmukh stated that the committee has also decided to take part in the protest against Hindi as a third language, called by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on July 5.
'The government is citing National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 for these changes, which actually emphasizes the importance of education in the mother tongue. The National Curriculum Framework (NCF) brings third language only from Class 6, raising questions on the state's purpose to bring third language from Class 1,' said Deshmukh while adding that the government should rather work on improving the quality of language education in state-run schools.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
39 minutes ago
- India Today
90,000 students fail in Karnataka due to language imposition, says DMK minister
Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi on Friday said that over 90,000 students in Karnataka had failed their board exams due to the 'imposition of a language.' He made the remark while addressing students at a school competition, using the platform to criticise the Union government over its language policy and education minister said that language learning should be a choice for students. 'A third language should be an option, not a compulsion,' he said, highlighting the need for flexibility in education a direct swipe at the Centre, Anbil Mahesh accused the Union government of withholding vital education funds from high-performing states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala. 'The Centre is threatening states by choking education funds. But Chief Minister Stalin has stepped in and assured that the state will bear the full cost,' he in the day, DMK MP Kanimozhi responded to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's assertion that Hindi is not an enemy of any language by asserting the same for Tamil, urging North Indians to learn South Indian languages.'If Hindi is not the enemy of any language, then Tamil is also not the enemy of any language. Let them learn Tamil. Let the people of North India learn at least one South Indian language. That is true national integration,' she had recently said that Hindi is not an opponent of any Indian language, but rather a friend to all, and that there should be no opposition to any language in the country.- EndsTune InMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
The silence of the reels: Why Hindi cinema never faced the Emergency
Power games: The few filmmakers who did deal with the subject, either directly or indirectly, faced bans and attacks For an industry that prides itself on chronicling the nation's struggles, Hindi cinema's silence about the Emergency is more revealing than any film could ever be. The 21 months between June 1975 and March 1977, when Indira Gandhi suspended civil liberties, censored the press, and jailed thousands without trial, were arguably the most consequential in India's modern political history. Yet, in the decades since, Hindi cinema—the self-appointed mirror of Indian society—has barely mustered a smudge to reflect it. This conspicuous absence did not arise from creative oversight or timidity alone. In the early decades of Independence, popular cinema was never truly free. Nehruvian socialism shaped public policy and the ideological contours of the industry. The so-called golden triumvirate—Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand—crafted personas that echoed Pandit Nehru's vision of the self-sacrificing, morally upright everyman. Dilip Kumar's dialogue seemed like leftovers from Nehru's speeches, Dev Anand's rebellious charm served the establishment's romantic socialism, and Raj Kapoor's everyman heroes peddled idealism to the masses. Such intimacy with power set the template. The state could inspire cinema, but never the other way around. When that same state turned authoritarian, the industry found itself unprepared and unwilling to challenge it. In the Emergency years, the machinery of coercion extended directly into the corridors of Bombay. V C Shukla, Indira's information & broadcasting minister, became infamous for exerting his influence over the film industry. Wielding the Maintenance of Internal Security Act like a scythe through the industry, the political establishment wasn't breaking new ground—it was merely weaponising an existing dependency. Kishore Kumar, the mercurial genius whose voice had soundtracked a generation's dreams, was banned from All India Radio and Doordarshan for refusing to perform at a Youth Congress rally. Dev Anand, tricked into attending a Sanjay Gandhi event and asked to praise his 'dynamism', found his films blacklisted when he refused to comply. When he sought an explanation from the I&B Minister, he was told with chilling matter-of-factness that it was 'a good thing to speak for the govt in power.' Shatrughan Sinha , then one of cinema's busiest stars, saw his films banned for the cardinal sin of supporting Jayaprakash Narayan. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Unwelcoming Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo Gulzar's 'Aandhi', merely suspected of drawing inspiration from Indira Gandhi's life, while most argued it'd taken a few chapters from the life of Tarkeshwari Sinha, was banned for the duration of the Emergency, releasing only after the Janata victory restored a semblance of democratic normalcy. 'Maha Chor' starring Rajesh Khanna casually inserted a 'Vote for Congress' graffiti into a musical sequence. Most telling was the fate of Amrit Nahata's 'Kissa Kursi Ka', a political satire that dared to mock the Emergency's absurdities. All prints of the film were destroyed allegedly by Sanjay Gandhi at a factory in Gurgaon. This was not subtext—it was brazen collusion between art and authority. Yet what happened after the Emergency lifted reveals the true depths of the industry's moral bankruptcy. When the time came to reckon with the period—its absurdities, its tragedies, its moral squalor—Hindi cinema fell silent. There was an almost immediate return to sycophantic normalcy. Feroz Khan's 'Qurbani' (1980), the biggest hit of the year when Indira Gandhi returned, opened with a short film eulogising Sanjay Gandhi, narrated by Khan himself as he dedicated his film to the memory of the 'Prince' and bowed in reverence to the 'Mother'. If films between 1977 and 1980 did not address the Emergency, to expect that to happen after Indira Gandhi returned would perhaps be hoping for a miracle. This wasn't just political calculation—it was the instinctive reaction of an industry that had learned to worship power. Some filmmakers attempted to address the Emergency but it was often through the refuge of allegory—Hrishikesh Mukherjee's 'Kotwal Saab' and 'Khubsoorat' chose not to cast a direct look; the latter managed to justify the Emergency as a necessary evil. Mukherjee's 'Naram Garam' gave Hindi cinema's smartest comment on the era in the form of a nervous joke — Om Prakash, told to hurry because of some emergency, haplessly comments, 'Phir se?' While not Hindi cinema, Satyajit Ray's 'Hirak Rajar Deshe' and Jabbar Patel's 'Jait Re Jait', used the same route. Parallel cinema, too, largely skirted the challenge and despite their social conscience, filmmakers preferred the microcosm to the macro. Over the years, some films such as 'Ghashiram Kotwal' based on a Vijay Tendulkar play and directed by K. Hariharan, Mani Kaul, Kamal Swaroop, Saeed Mirza were cited as a film about the Emergency. However, it was written in 1972 as a response to the rise of a local political party in Maharashtra. There are structural reasons for this reticence. Hindi cinema has always struggled with ambiguity, preferring neat endings where heroes redeem all. The Emergency, by contrast, offered no catharsis—only a nation capitulating to authoritarianism without resistance. The definitive Emergency film still eludes the screen even as we enter the fiftieth year of the Emergency. The exceptions remain sparse: Sudhir Mishra's 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi' would not arrive until 2005, nearly three decades later. Even then, it couched its indictment within the personal journeys of three idealistic young people, careful not to indict the broader complicity of society. Even today the few who try to confront the past are harassed —Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Indu Sarkar' provoked shrill attacks and legal threats simply for attempting a fictionalised retelling. The Emergency may have ended in 1977, but its most lasting victory was psychological: the creation of a cultural establishment that polices itself more effectively than any censor ever could. Perhaps it was simpler to pretend nothing happened. After all, if cinema cannot process a trauma, maybe the nation never really did. (Chintamani is a film historian and author)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Ajit Pawar: Not in favour of making Hindi compulsory from Class 1
Pune: Amid the call for a joint protest march by the Thackeray cousins on July 5 against the state govt over the alleged "imposition" of the Hindi language from Class 1, Mahayuti partner, deputy CM and NCP chief Ajit Pawar on Saturday said that he is also not in favour of making Hindi compulsory from Class 1. Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS workers have started a campaign to gather crowds for the rally. Along with social media posts, the parties are also putting up posters of the march, and in one of the posters, MNS has carried Ajit Pawar's photo, indicating he is supporting their stand. Against the backdrop of the rally, when Ajit Pawar was asked about his stand, he said, "I already made my stand clear on the Hindi language in Mumbai a few days back. There is no opposition to the fact that Marathi, being the mother tongue in Maharashtra, should be the compulsory language from Class 1. Now the trend of English has picked up, where many parents are enrolling their children in English medium schools. After Class 5, parents can take a call on choosing the third language. Generally, in Maharashtra, along with Marathi and English, we have seen students learning Hindi as the third language. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 생리통 원인은 자궁 냉증? 아랫배 통증 뿌리 뽑는 방법 알려드립니다 냉방병 관리법 Undo Some choose different languages also." You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai Interacting with the media in Baramati, Ajit Pawar said, "We will be discussing this issue in the cabinet meeting next week, which will be held just before the beginning of the assembly session." Giving a push to the three-language policy, the Mahayuti took a decision on April 16 to make Hindi the mandatory third language in govt schools from Class 1. The decision triggered opposition from parties and academics. CM Devendra Fadnavis said Hindi would not be made compulsory and students could opt for a third language of choice. However, in the revised order, the state govt stated Hindi would generally be the third language, and in case of the option of any other language, a minimum of 20 students should opt for it for it to be taught by teachers in the classroom and if students were fewer than 20, the subject could be taught online.
