The Modern RationalistJuly 2019
Sanskrit Imposition: Language learning and
medium of learning through a particular
language are the major educational loads on
students. The ultimate medium of learning must
be through the mother tongue of the students
which will enable for free flow in thinking,
analyzing and to contribute constructively.
Nothing has been mentioned in the Education
Policy about the medium of learning by students
both at school and collegiate levels.
On language learning front, the imposition of
Hindi and Sanskrit is invariably included as if
it is imperative for education. Language is not
knowledge; it is the medium through which
acquiring of knowledge (subjects) takes place.
Besides, learning a language apart from mother
tongue is a very difficult task. The opportunity
benefit of acquiring knowledge is more than
learning an additional language. But in practice
learning of Regional Language is becoming a
must for socio political reasons and for many
both mother tongue and regional language are
one and the same.
Today the purpose of getting educated is
mostly oriented towards getting employment.
So learning one additional language apart from
the regional language is required and in the
present context it has to be necessarily English.
It has to be learnt by all for the availability
of most of the curriculum texts in English
and for the scope of getting employment
invariably throughout the world. Apart from
the regional language and English, learning of
Hindi and Sanskrit language are imposed in the
Education Policy. Sanskrit is prescribed as an
elective subject invariably at all levels in school
and college education. Hindi is prescribed as
compulsory third language. Immediately after
the release of the draft Policy, opposition to the
imposition of Hindi as compulsory, erupted
from Tamil Nadu, the Land of turbulent history
against Hindi imposition. The government
withdrew the prescription of learning Hindi as
compulsory language subject, but stick to the
three language policy of one more language
learning apart from the regional language and
English. The compulsory learning of Hindi has
come down to the level of its learning by default.
Hindi would be one of the languages along with
Sanskrit, French, Germany, and Russian as thecase may be. When the third language learning
is compulsory automatically the choice would
go in favour of Hindi for non Hindi speaking
people. Learning an additional language apart
from the regional language and English is not at
all warranted. It will add to the educational load
of students at the cost of acquiring knowledge
in various updated academic subjects. The
compulsory three language formula advocated
in the Education Policy is nothing but a strategic
move to force the students to learn Hindi or
Sanskrit, the inner core ideology of Hindutva.
Usurping the Power of State Governments:
When Constitution was framed, its founders,
by reckoning the varied cultural, socio political
conditions of the country, placed the subjects
‘Education’ under ‘State List’ of the Constitution
giving exclusive domain to the respective State
Government.
Later the subject was shifted to ‘Concurrent
List’ both the Centre and the State can concur
over any issue on education and act upon.
But during the past the Union government has
unilaterally acted on most of the matters related
to education, with its power by introducing
NEET When voices from the States are getting
intense to bring back the subject, ‘Education’
from the ‘Concurrent List’ to the ‘State List’, to
ensure the federal features as enunciated in
the Constitution. The draft National Education
Policy 2019 has made drastic changes as if
the subject ‘Education’ is in ‘Union List’, the
exclusive domain of Central Government. Of
course, it may be the will of the saffron rulers
to bring the polity of the country ‘unitary’,
which they already started as ‘One nation, One
election’, ‘One nation One ration card’ plan etc.
The released draft National Education Policy
2019 aims for the fundamental principle of ‘One
nation, one language’ with favouring factors
leading to their ultimate goal of ‘One nation,
One religion’. The game plan of one religion is
nothing but Hindutva.
Let the opposition to the draft National
Education Policy 2019 mount enormously by
bringing the consequences of the agenda in
public domain through debate and discussion
and make the public realise the danger posed to
the current generation and posterity!