PUDUCHERRY: A fresh “language row” has erupted in Puducherry after a CBSE circular mandated a three-language system from Class 6, triggering strong opposition from political parties who alleged that the move would remove French and pave the way for Hindi imposition across all government schools in the UT.
Leader of the Opposition and DMK state convenor R Siva condemned the move to drop French. The DMK also criticised the centre of attempting “linguistic imposition”, particularly in Mahe and Yanam, where Malayalam and Telugu are widely spoken.
The party said schools, teachers and parents had been left confused by the sudden move, especially due to the lack of prescribed textbooks. Reiterating support for the two-language formula of Tamil and English, the DMK urged the centre to withdraw the notification, failing which it would launch large-scale protests.
Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee president and Lok Sabha MP V Vaithilingam also opposed the move, demanding that students be allowed to choose foreign languages such as French voluntarily instead of being compelled to study Hindi. He said French proficiency had opened avenues for higher education, jobs and global mobility, and warned that the new policy curtailed such opportunities.
The CPM, meanwhile, has demanded a rollback of the CBSE curriculum in the UT. State secretary S Ramachandran alleged that the adoption of the CBSE syllabus itself was a precursor to Hindi imposition.
Citing Puducherry’s historic ties with France, the CPM said replacing French with Hindi or Sanskrit from Classes 6 to 10 would adversely affect students’ academic and career prospects. The party sought restoration of the previous state syllabus. It has also urged students to unite against “attack on educational rights,” signalling continued protests in the coming days.