CHENNAI: If the three-language formula was extended up to the Class X board exams as recommended by the CBSE, the actual choice before most of the students in the State would be to study either Hindi or Sanskrit, in addition to Tamil and English.
Even though, technically, the students have choice of 22 Indian languages to choose from for the third language, most of the schools in the State have teachers only for either Hindi or Sanskrit. So in practice, the students have to choose either of these two languages.
The imposition of both these languages in schools had always been a politically contentious issue. In fact, just a day before the CBSE recommended compulsory Class X board exams and extension of the three-language till Class X, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him not to implement the three-language formula.
The recommendation by CBSE governing body is pending approval in the Union Human Resources Ministry.
“Though I welcome the move, we currently don’t have teachers for any other modern Indian languages (besides Hindi and Sanskrit). But depending on the demand, we will appoint teachers,” says J Ajeeth Prasath Jain, Principal of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashra.
The situation is almost the same in most other schools Express checked. Under the three language formula, the first language would be the mother-tongue or regional language. The second language in a non-Hindi speaking State like Tamil Nadu should be either Hindi or English. The third language should be English (if not taken as second language) or from a list of 22 Indian languages which the student had not taken as second language. (See table). But the lack of teachers for many of the other languages would mean the students have to select between Sanskrit and Hindi.
“The appointment of teachers depends on their availability. Currently, we have only teachers only for Hindi and Sanskrit. We will also take into consideration the popular demand for subjects among the students,” said S Namasivayam, Principal of Maharishi Vidya Mandir Senior Secondary School.
“A few teachers hailing from Andhra Pradesh or Kerala could teach Telugu or Malayalam as the third language. But not any other language could be taught,” says another school principal wishing not to be named.
Language formula
1 The first language to be studied must be the mother tongue or the regional language
2 The second language in Hindi-speaking states will be some other modern Indian language or English. In non-Hindi speaking States like Tamil Nadu, the second language will be Hindi or English
3 The Third language In Hindi-speaking States will be English or a modern Indian language not studied as the second language. In non-Hindi speaking States, the third language will be English or a modern Indian language not studied as the second language
Bouquet of modern
Indian languages available for students
1. Sanskrit, 2. Assamese
3. Bangla 4. Bodo
5. Dogri 6. Gujarati
7. Hindi 8. Kashmiri
9. Kannada 10. Konkani
11. Maithili 12. Malayalam 13. Manipuri 14. Marathi
15. Nepali 16. Oriya
17. Punjabi 18. Tamil
19. Telugu 20. Santali
21. Sindhi and 22. Urdu