CBSE schools fail to include mother tongue in forms : The Tribune India

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CBSE schools fail to include mother tongue in forms

CHANDIGARH: The CBSE schools in the city have failed to include information of a child’s mother tongue and preference of the language for study under the three-language formula in their admission forms.



Naina Mishra

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 20

The CBSE schools in the city have failed to include information of a child’s mother tongue and preference of the language for study under the three-language formula in their admission forms.

The board, in 2014, urged the schools to include mother tongue of child, first language preference and optional language that parent or child wish to study in their admission forms. Similar orders were issued in 2015 to obtain information under three-language formula.

Under the formula, any ‘modern Indian language’, as per the Constitution, could be taken as the third language, along with English and Hindi. .

In government schools in Chandigarh, there is no column in application forms under which mother tongue of a child, first language preferred and optional language is sought. However, a choice between English, Hindi and Punjabi as medium of instructions is asked from the child.

Though in all government schools, the display boards say that the subjects are taught in English, Hindi and Punjabi, only a handful of these have separate Punjabi medium sections for each class. In model government schools, only social studies is taught in bilingual.

Swaran Singh Kamboj, UT Cadre Educational Employees Union, said, “There are only 10 Punjabi lecturers in 40 senior secondary schools. In Junior Basic Teacher (JBT) recruitment, Class X-pass in Punjabi is not given preference.”

He said, “Generally, students are told they will be at disadvantage if they opt for Punjabi medium. They are told that Punjabi books come late or there are no teachers for Punjabi medium. That’s why students do not opt for Punjabi at the entry level where it is most required. The three-language formula starts at a later stage and by that time, Punjabi becomes a secondary language for students.”

As far as private-affiliated schools are concerned, there has been tepid implementation of the same as most of them have only English as medium of instruction. Their admission forms do not seek details pertaining to language preferred by a child or his/her mother tongue.

Arvind Rana, President of Association of SSA-RMSA Teachers of India, said, “The problem is that students having Hindi or Punjabi as medium of instruction suffer after Class XI as they find it difficult to cope with English language especially if they choose science or commerce stream, as both subjects are taught in English medium.”

He said the only option left with students, who have passed Class X with Hindi or Punjabi medium, is to opt for arts stream where the option of Hindi or Punjabi as medium of instruction is available.”

District Education Officer Anujit Kaur said, “There is a provision for Punjabi as medium of instruction for students in government schools. They are being provided the choice of instruction.”

Board issued instructions in 2014, 2015

  • The board, in 2014, urged the schools to include mother tongue of child, first language preference and optional language that parent or child wish to study in their admission forms. Similar orders were issued in 2015 to obtain information under three-language formula.
  • Under the three-language formula, any ‘modern Indian language, including Sanskrit, as per the Constitution could be taken as the third language, along with English and Hindi.
  • The aim was to help schools streamline recruitment of language teachers and ensure that children belonging to linguistic minority groups are at the reach of facility for instruction in mother tongue at primary stage of education as enshrined in Article 350-A of the Constitution.

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