The Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU) on Monday opposed a proposed discussion on making Hindi compulsory for B.A. and B.Tech students, listed on the agenda for the 151st Academic Council meeting.
The JNUSU said it rejects the “imposition” of Hindi and stands for a multilingual, diverse, inclusive education system and India’s pluralistic democracy.
‘Drop the item’
The students demanded that the item on the agenda be dropped. They said it was shameful that the Centre was trying to implement its agenda of “Hindi, Hindu, Hindustan”.
“In an official letter issued by the Ministry of Human Resource Development [MHRD] in 2018 to all universities, Hindi is mentioned as the national language. Furthermore, it issues directives to implement Hindi as a compulsory course in all bachelor programmes. India does not have a national language. Rather the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists 22 official languages in accordance with the diverse and plural nature of our country. The move is a violation not only of the plural nature of JNU but also of the principles enshrined in the Constitution,” the JNUSU said.
“At a time when popular pressure has forced the BJP government to revise its Draft Education Policy and three-language formula, this underhand imposition of Hindi in JNU by its V-C is shameful. Everyone has a right to learn the language of their choice...any imposition on the students won’t be tolerated,” said JNUSU president N. Sai Balaji.
The JNU unit of the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) also opposed the move and said, “We do not stand as a pro or anti to any language as we have always exercised and celebrated the multi-linguistic nature of India. What we need is to preserve and care for each and every regional language to celebrate the linguistic diversity of India. The imposition of Hindi in an undesired way such as this will not bring any glory to our university or to the language of Hindi.”
The university did not respond to the objections raised. But in its proposal said that the item on the agenda is in response to a letter from the MHRD in October 2018, which requests that Hindi be made a compulsory subject in all the schools and universities of India.
