New Delhi: ‘Baalak, Balkau, Balkah’, the Sanskrit’s dreaded shabd roop that made most English medium students sweat during their middle school days may soon return to haunt in high school. But if you still want to get rid of the subject, you may perhaps look for respite in Arabic, Persian, Hebrew, Latin and Greek.
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal wants classical languages to be compulsory from classes IX to XII, for which they have presented certain points to the committee headed by K Kasturirangan in order to draft the New Education Policy (NEP).
They believe that learning classical is crucial for “healthy social life”. “The policy aims at strengthening the emotional integration in our national life, which is clearly present in all the sects and classical languages,” said Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal head Mukul Kanitkar.
The perspective behind this decision is that, if everyone in the country accepts Hindi to be the language of communication, no one will leave it out. “Then, the subjects that are neglected by students as they do not generate jobs, can be taken up to be taught in schools,” Kanitkar opines.
A delegation led by the Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal head presented the document titled ‘Bharatiya Education Outline’ to the NEP Committee, saying: “During the four-year plan – from class 9th to 12th -- a student will be provided with a choice to complete his studies without learning English or Hindi, but it will be mandatory for him to learn Sanskrit or any other classical language.”
As we wait for the New Education Policy to become a reality, News18.com brings the Language policy recommendations made by BSM.
Classical Languages and the ‘Spirit of Patriotism’
Under the existing National Education Policy, the existing three-language formula means students in Hindi-speaking states should learn a modern Indian language, apart from Hindi and English, and in non-Hindi-speaking states, they should learn Hindi along with the regional language and English.
Three language formula is applicable to students from class 6th to 8th. In class IX and X, two-language formula is followed with English as a mandatory language and Hindi, or Sanskrit, or a foreign language as the second choice.
Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal is a Nagpur based colloquium, working in the education domain since 1969 for awakening “patriotism, nationalism and transforming future generation into future Nation.” They have five dimensional functional verticals: Research, Awareness, Training, Publication and Organization.
The recommendations made to the committee are based on the “feedback given by the society”.
In April 2018, BSM held a grand function Virat Gurukul Sammelan in Ujjain, which was attended by the Human Resource Development minister Prakash Javadekar, where he emphasized on “value and holistic education.” A zero draft of the national education policy is ready. The committee made a presentation last week, which will be shared with the peer groups and given a final shape.
Broadly, in the eight- year general education program recommended by them, the first language must be mother tongue and two more languages from the 8th schedule of the Constitution of India. Further, from class 9th to 12th “a student should be provided with a choice to complete studies without learning English or Hindi, but it should be mandatory for him to learn Sanskrit or any other Classical language,” he said.