COIMBATORE: Come 2015-16 academic year, there will not be any non-Tamil category of students in Class X public examination. All the students in Tamil Nadu, who will be sitting for their Class X public examination in 2015-16 academic year, have to study Tamil compulsorily as their first language.
In June 2006, the State government has enacted Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act. As per the act, Tamil was made a compulsory language for Class I for all schools in the State. Though a group of schools moved the Supreme Court challenging the law and praying for the scrapping of the government decision, the petition was dismissed by the apex court.
“The Tamil Nadu government enacted the Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act in 2006. As per the act, Tamil language should be taught as compulsory subject in Class I in all school in 2006. In the subsequent years, it was implemented in the next classes. In the coming academic year, Tamil will be made compulsory language for Class IX and from 2015-16 academic year, Tamil will become compulsory for Class X,” said A Gnanagowri, Coimbatore Chief Educational Officer.
This was discussed at the School Education department review meeting held in Chennai on Tuesday, headed by Minister KC Veeramani and attended by all higher officials and CEOs of all districts. This was to ensure that schools were informed about this developments and awareness was created among students, said another official.
CMS Matriculation Higher Secondary School principal H Hajah Sheriff said, “Other than CBSE and ICSE schools, in all other schools where ‘Samacheer Kalvi’ is introduced, Tamil will be made a compulsory subject in Class X in the academic year 2015-16 academic year.”
“In Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, schools were allowed to have one more additional language paper. We requested Tamil Nadu Government to allow us to have one more language paper as sixth optional subject. The government has assured us of considering our demand,” he added.
Tamil Nadu Nursery, Primary, Metric Higher Secondary Schools Welfare Association: State General Secretary G Krishnaraj said, “In this year’s Class X exam, three students including one from Coimbatore scored 500 out of 500 marks. But, they were not considered for the State ranking, as they have studied Sanskrit and French as their first language. If Tamil is made as compulsory first language in Class X public examination, such disparity will not arise.”