PUDUCHERRY: In the wake of a raging controversy over the imposition of Hindi in JIPMER, the institute has clarified that it has not changed its policies related to the use of various languages for official work.
"The circulars doing rounds in the media are of routine nature and are similar to those issued periodically in the past, in keeping with the government policy and orders," said a release from JIPMER director Dr Rakesh Agarwal.
The director said that the institute had in fact issued several circulars, including one which stated that: "As per the Official Language Policy, name plates, sign boards to be displayed for the information of the public by Central Government Office located in non-Hindi speaking areas (Region C) should be written in Regional Language (i.e. Tamil), Hindi and English, and the languages would be in the order mentioned above, and the letters of the script of all the languages should be of the same size."
"Communications for internal use of the office should be prepared both in Hindi and English. It is clear that the Institute gives importance to the use of local language in its communications and interactions with the patients and other members of the public visiting JIPMER," Dr Agarwal said.
"Regarding another circular allegedly specifying the use of Hindi only, it is clarified that the text in it reads: 'as far as possible in Hindi'. Thus, the words have been read out of context, and there has been no insistence on the use of Hindi," he said.
Addressing the use of the phrase 'Hindi Cell', the director said, the office in question has been known by that name for more than 30 years. It is noteworthy that other Central governments organisations located in Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and other States also have 'Hindi cells'.