New Delhi: Facing severe criticism from the DMK and other parties in Tamil Nadu, the Central government on Monday revised its draft education policy, dropping the contentious provision of imposing mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
The parties in Tamil Nadu had strongly opposed the three-language formula proposed in the draft National Education Policy (NEP) and alleged that it was tantamount to thrusting the Hindi language on the non-Hindi speaking states.
On Monday several parties, including the Congress and the Maharashtra Nav-nirman Sena, joined Tamil leaders to oppose the proposed provisions of the NEP. However, after the three-language proposal sparked an outrage the Union HRD ministry swung into action and released a revised draft of the NEP.
“Students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying may do so in Grade 6 or Grade 7, so long as they are able to still demonstrate proficiency in three languages (one language at the literature level) in their modular Board examinations some time during secondary school,” the revised draft of the NEP said.
In the earlier draft, the panel had suggested mandatory teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
According to the revised draft, the modular board examinations for language proficiency would test only basic proficiency in each language.
“Such a change in language choice in Grade 6 would certainly be feasible if the student so desires and would in such cases be supported by teachers and the schooling system,” the revised draft added.
Union minister Prakash Javadekar, who had the formed the panel to draft the NEP when he was the HRD minister in the previous term, asser-ted that no language should be imposed on anyone.
He clarified that the committee had prepared a draft report and no decision had been taken on implementing it.
Mr Javedkar said it was just a proposal from the HRD ministry and due consent will be taken and deliberations will be carried out to decide on the matter.
Over the past few days Tamil Nadu has led protests over the alleged “Hindi imposition” attempt by the Centre. The recommendations relating to teaching of Hindi drew sharp reactions from the DMK and actor Kamal Haasan's Makkal Needhi Maiam.
On Monday, the DMK passed a resolution against the Centre's draft policy and said that the NDA government should not test its patience. Even the PMK, an ally of the BJP, alleged that the recommendation in the draft policy amounted to imposition of Hindi and demanded the scrapping of the proposal.
Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman welcomed the Centre's decision. "Draft (NEP) policy corrected. Beautiful solution," he tweeted.
