by Preetam Brahma Choudhury

Kokrajhar: The North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) has expressed its strong voice over the non-inclusion of Bodo language among the languages offered as medium of examination in the CTET exam, which is being conducted by Central Board of Secondary Education(CBSE) for the year 2020 stating that exclusion of Bodo language which is a 8^th Schedule language of Indian Constitution from the CTET exam which includes other languages of the list amounts to a blatant attempt at discriminating against one of the most deprived communities of the country.

NEFIS member along with the students from various educational institutions today submitted a memorandum to the Chairperson, CBSED Through DeputyCommissioner, Kokrajhar and raise the issue of non-inclusion of Bodo language among the languages offered as medium of examination in the CTET exam, which is being conducted by CBSE for the year 2020.

“The Bodo language is included in the 8^th Schedule of Indian Constitution, which lists the recognized major languages used by the people across the country. Exclusion of Bodo language from the CTET exam which includes other languages of the list amounts to a blatant attempt at discriminating against one of the most deprived communities of the country, it said.

Hem Chandra Brahma, Member, Assam Unit, of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) said the they had submitted a memorandum to the CBSE last year regarding the issue and the CBSE had assured NEFIS that the issue would be presented before the appropriate body. However, till now neither has the issue been resolved, nor has the CBSE included Bodo language for CTET exam being conducted this year, which shows that the CBSE is apathetic towards the issues of the marginalized people across the country, he said.

He said that Bodo language was instituted as a medium of instruction at the primary level in 1963. It was recognized by UPSC and APSC in 2005 and it is recognized by UGC in the NET exam and by the State Government of Assam in the SLET exam. “However, in the CTET exam which is being conducted by the CBSE it is not allowed as a medium of examination. This is a measure which creates exclusion for the majority of the applicants who have studied from government schools and belong to poor and deprived backgrounds, he said adding “Moreover, it shows utter disregard of the central government for the students of marginalized backgrounds”.

The NEFIS also criticizes the move of the Assam government to exclude Bodo language as an option in the Judicial Services exams and demanded that Bodo language should be included as a medium of examination in the CTET exam.

They demanded that all the local languages which are medium of instruction in government schools across the country should be included as a medium of examination in all the All-India exams .