The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is yet to take a decision on the recommendation of a parliamentary panel that Hindi be made a compulsory subject in all CBSE-affiliated schools till Class 10.
The recommendation has got in-principle approval of the President, but with a caveat: the Centre should make a policy regarding this after soliciting the views of State governments.
“As of now, there is no change in the education policy,” a senior CBSE official told The Hindu . “Once we study the report being talked about and the Rajbhasha department resolution being reported, we will, in consultation with the HRD Ministry, reach a conclusion. As of now, I can say nothing more on this.”
While Secretary (school education) in the MHRD Anil Swarup could not be reached, sources in the Ministry said there was no decision as yet to make Hindi compulsory in schools.
Controversial issue
The matter is a crucial one as in a diverse country with 22 recognised languages, any attempt to make Hindi compulsory in non-Hindi speaking States, particularly in South India, can snowball into a political controversy. Tamil Nadu has had a history of anti-Hindi agitations.
The panel recommendation can be accessed on the website of the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Department of Official Language.
The presidential approval of the recommendation says, “This recommendation is accepted in principle. The Central government should formulate a policy on this after soliciting the views of State governments.”
