2019 begun with a test run for the next step of Hindi imposition. A news was out saying, new policy draft of the National Education committee has recommended to make Hindi mandatory up to 8th standard. When that news invited opposition from all over the Union, HRD minister Prakash Javadekar came forward and said, “The Committee on New Education Policy in its draft report has not recommended making any language compulsory”
Similar kind of incident occurred in 2018 also. When the decision of
conducting CTET examination second paper only in English, Hindi and in Sanskrit
created a row, the same Union minister gave a response, "CTET examination
will be conducted in all Indian languages (20) as was being done earlier."
Hence, there is no other better opportunity to look back how the
language policies of the Union Government(s) ruins education and opportunities
of the non-Hindi speakers in the Union when it is approaching to the completion
of 71 years.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_(film)
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We’ll start from Primary education. Learning in the mother tongue is good.1 Most of us are thinking in our mother tongue. Learning in a language spoken inside the home and society results in developed cognitive function. But in fact, language policies of the Union affects Child education in many ways.
In the movie 'Newton' released in 2017, one of the main character asks the
school teacher, "these children don't know Hindi?” in response she will
tell, “They know only Gondi, but their textbooks are in Hindi” There is a
dictionary for Gondi in Google store, but their books are not in their
language.
Because of this kind of policies, dropout rate of children in tribal
areas is increasing in number, one of the Delhi University professors adds.
Even today, in Orissa, if 100 tribal children were taken inside, 75-80 of them
drops out of the school before reaching 8th standard.2
Union government established a council (Council for Scientific and
Technical Terminology - CSTT) to create new terminologies for Hindi to use in
the offices and educational institutions. As per the directions from the court
(later it became a problem for judge’s themselves) this council derives words
from Sanskrit. Because of this, the children who born in Hindi belt also gets
affected.
For example, ‘Pani’ derived from Hindustani, is the common word
used for water in Hindi. But instead of that the word ‘Jal’ used in
textbooks. When there is a difference between ‘Hindi they speak’ and ‘Hindi
they learn’ the effects it will create won’t be a desirable one.
In 2017, the committee set for giving recommendations for official
language policies came up with some recommendations3, 4 (including
ministers and president should use only Hindi to address the people and
Candidates willing to get employed in Central Government Offices to pass Hindi
competitive exam in accordance with the post.) which were signed by the
President of the Union. One among them,
The Committee is of the opinion that Scientific/Research and other
Research institutions spend a large amount on purchase of books. If this
exemption continues the major portion of the library budget will be spent on
the purchase of the journals and reference books and will adversely affect the
purchase of Hindi books. This will be a deviation from the original purpose.
Therefore, clear orders in this regard may be issued that in any case 50% out
of the total amount for purchase of books should be used for the purchase of
Hindi books. The Committee recommends that in the offices where library budget
is not allocated, a minimum 1% of the Office Expenditure Head may be spent on
the purchase of Hindi books. It is also to be kept in mind that 50% of the
total library budget or 1% of the total Office Expenditure Head, whichever is
more, may be spent on the purchase of Hindi books.
If we look at the usage of this Hindi books bought and stored under
these schemes by ignoring other research aids likes books and periodicals, they
found no use in assisting research in institutions. Records show 99% of them
left unused. The used 1% are dictionaries. Union government dedicated a day -
named in Hindi - to wipe those unread books and restore them.
It recommends some more too:
1. Ministry of Human Resource Development should make serious efforts to make Hindi Language compulsory in curriculum.
2. Ministry of Human Resource Development should work out an action plan for implementing Hindi teaching scheme in all Universities/Higher Educational Institutes and initiate the process of implementing a common law and table it before both the Houses of Parliament.
3. A proposal for making Hindi education compulsory up to Class tenth should be Introduced in the Parliament.
In countries like Japan and the European Union, it is mandatory for
scientists to publish articles in the journals published from within the
country. This was considered when they were applying for jobs in the government
sectors and in the promotion.5 It also helps in increasing the standards of journals coming out
of their home country. But here in the Union, any non-Hindi speaking
scientist/staff in the Union government body learnt Hindi, he will be appreciated
and not for contributing the Indian journals by publishing. Union government
has not given any kind of consideration for those who publish in Indian
journals. This was repeatedly written by professor S.C. Lakhotia of Banaras
Hindu University who published equally in Indian and in international journals.6
When it comes to national level examinations, situations are even worse.
When it’s come to an exam, everyone should be given equal opportunities, not
only in the sense of syllabus but also in the sense of language. Either it
should be in mother tongue or in the second language. Instead of that, giving
opportunities for someone in their mother tongue and for others in their second
language is not justice. Here, one who doesn't have Hindi as his mother tongue
cannot write national level entrance exams like AIIMS, IIT-JEE and NET in
her/his mother tongue.7
As for as Hindi Imposition is concerned Union Governments are the hiding
predators. We should get alert and oppose when its gives some signals.
Otherwise the first thing they are going to stop is the voice of our children.
References:
1.
Impact of Mother Tongue on Children's Learning Abilities in Early
Childhood Classroom, A. V. Awopetu, Procedia - Social and Behavioral
Sciences, 233, 2016, 58-63.
2. பள்ளிப் பாடநூல்கள்: உருவாக்கமும் மொழி அரசியலும் - ம.அ. சீனிவாசன், Kalachuvadu (Tamil Monthly), March 2018.
3.
ஆங்கிலத்துக்காகத்தமிழகம் இன்னொரு மொழிப் போர் நடத்த வேண்டுமா? - சமஸ், The
Hindu Tamil, April 2017.
5. Publishing with impact - Shubashree Desikan,
The Hindu, December 4, 2018.
7. உனது பேரரசும் எனது மக்களும் - கோர்கோ சாட்டர்ஜி, ஆழி பப்ளிஷர்ஸ், டிசம்பர் 2017.
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