VELLORE: Consumer activist T Basheeruddin has appealed to the state government to exempt X standard students belonging to minority communities from taking part I language subject as Tamil in the 2016 boards and allow them to write the exam in their respective mother tongues.
With the Tamil Language Act, 2006,(Act) passed by the DMK government, Tamil (as part I language) has been added to the list of subjects for minority students from I standard onwards.
The requirements of the Act were not taken seriously by the schools, with the year-end examinations being conducted within schools and since all students were automatically passed up to the VIII standard. Meanwhile, minority students were unable to learn Tamil from primary classes as the state had not appointed dedicated Tamil teachers. With the government making it compulsory for minority students to take Tamil as part I language in class X exam, minority students fear they may not be able to perform well.
There are over 50,000 students belonging to minority communities in seven districts. Among these people, Urdu speaking students form the largest group. In order to help Urdu and other minority language students, the government must relax the requirements of the Tamil Learning Act.