Hindi Compulsory In The Eight Northeastern States:
The Government of India provided that Hindi would be made compulsory up to Class 10 in the eight northeastern states.
- Hindi is described as “the language of India”.
- However, the move has been met with protests from various organisations in the Northeast.
- Also, several south Indian states have criticised the central government decision.
- Instead, these groups are supportive of three-language policy – English, Hindi and the local language.
- The state is protected by the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution and the Centre would not be able to impose Hindi on the students.
- Centre’s move will provide Hindi-speakers the economic, academic and administrative edge and let them control non-Hindi speaking regions of the country in the long run.
- In India most of the states have been formed on linguistic basis.
- Conflicts over identity, especially over languages tend to be escalated due to limited resources in India.
- The status of language has been a critical issue that has caused division of states in the past.
- Such states as Andhra Pradesh (1st state formed on linguistic basis), Punjab and Gujarat were created due to statehood demand on linguistic basis.
Three-Language Formula:
- Three-Language Formula was first proposed by Kothari Commision 1968. Under this scheme:
- First language: It will be the mother tongue or regional language.
- Second language: In Hindi speaking states, it will be other modern Indian languages or English. In non-Hindi speaking states, it will be Hindi or English.
- Third Language: In Hindi speaking states, it will be English or a modern Indian language. In the non-Hindi speaking state, it will be English or a modern Indian language.
