More than a decade since Tulu was introduced as the third optional language in schools of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the language lost patronage with the number of schools offering the language and students opting for it drastically coming down.
A case in point is students opting for it in class VI. According to the statistics collected by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, 139 students opted for the language only in three schools – all in Dakshina Kannada — during 2022-23. Their number further declined to 101 students again in the same three schools for 2023-24. No students in Udupi district opted for Tulu in any of the primary schools consecutively in the last and this academic year.
In high school level, the number of students who opted for Tulu in Class VIII was at 648 during 2021-22 and 647 in 2022-23. It came down by 50% to 324 students for 2023-24. Accordingly, the number of schools offering the language also reduced from 31 to 27 schools and further to 19 schools this year.
The State government had, through an order on March 26, 2010, allowed schools in the twin districts to teach Tulu from Class VI to X. The first batch of 18 Class X students with Tulu as the third optional language passed out in 2015. It was followed by 25 students in 2016, 283 students in 2017, and 417 students in 2018. Tulu was introduced in schools when Paltady Ramakrishna Achar was heading the academy.
When contacted, B. Chandrahas Rai, who served as the Registrar of the academy for a decade from September 2009 to September 2019 when the initiative was taken forward, told The Hindu that it is a matter of concern that Tulu is losing its sheen in schools. “I remember 45 plus schools was offering Tulu when I left the academy,” he said.
“The present admission statistics indicate that Tulu has remained in schools only due to self-motivated students, teachers and schools,” he said adding that if schools, teachers and students are not motivated, Tulu may not remain in many schools.
“It appears that the academy in the recent years has lost connection with the schools and ignored to motivate both the students and schools,” he said adding that there should have been more than 2,000 students studying Tulu by now.
Problems faced
Mr. Rai said that the schools are facing issues related to appointment of Tulu teachers and paying their salary. The government can appoint Tulu guest teachers. In addition, the academy can also make budgetary provisions to pay honorarium to Tulu teachers.
Incidentally, like all other language academies, Tulu academy lacks a chairperson since over a year.
A. Umanath Kotian, MLA, Moodbidri, who also headed the academy from late 2011 and quit it ahead of 2013 Assembly election to contest from Moodbidri, said that the authorities who led the academy in the recent years lacked dedication to strengthen and take the decade-old initiative forward.
The MLA said that he will raise the matter in the coming winter session of the Legislative Assembly in Belagavi.
A teacher who taught Tulu at the postgraduate level at University Evening College in Mangaluru said that the declining trend is also related to students making a careful selection of the third optional language by considering career options and job prospects and where Tulu fits in. Only those who had passion for the language opted for Tulu, the teacher said.
