‘Matribhasha Day’ for CBSE schools

ALLAHABAD: The Central Board of Secondary Education has asked all the schools affiliated to it to celebrate 'Matribhasha Diwas' ( Mother Tongue Day) on February 21 to increase communication skills in mother tongue and other Indian languages amongst English-medium students and to give fillip to 'knowledge creation' in these languages. However, some principals said it comes at a time when teachers are busy finishing the syllabus and are preparing to hold internal exams and would thus interfere with academics at this crucial juncture.The board has chalked out a range of activities ranging from 'Language festival' to holding of exhibitions and elocution contest among others to celebrate the day, despite the fact that schools would be holding internal exams while class 10 and 12 examinees would be preparing for their exams during the period. A circular (Acad-13 /2015) has been issued to school principals here to celebrate the day. It outlines six reasons to celebrate the day in the schools.It says, "It has been decided to celebrate Matribhasha Diwas to promote the use and to sensitize people about the need of greater use of mother tongue and other Indian languages for progress of the nation, to impart communication skills and proficiency in mother tongue and other Indian languages amongst English-medium students, to support translations from other languages into mother tongue, to give fillip to popularize adaptation of latest technologies for Indian languages and to encourage people to learn one more Indian language."Director (Academics, Research, Training and Innovation) Dr Sadhana Parashar, said, "UNESCO has declared February 21 every year as International Mother Language Day to create awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world. In this context, schools may organize language festival, song recitation competitions in separate languages, contests like elocution, debate, creative writing, etc. Further, to enhance the language skills, general knowledge competitions on Indian languages may be organised."She added, "Activities like speaking or writing in mother tongue without using any word from any foreign or other language can be encouraged among students, translation of any literary passage from some other language, exhibition of posters, charts, information on language diversity of India and its rich heritage can also be held."She said on the day every one should be encouraged to learn a few sentences of a new Indian language. She also called for starting of year-long activities to implement the objective stated by the board. Meanwhile, principals of a prominent school affiliated to CBSE said, "At the crucial period when teachers are busy finishing the syllabus and are preparing to hold internal exams, such extra-curricular activities will be a burden for schools kids. We should have been informed in advance about the same"On condition of anonymity, one of them said, "The class 10 and 12 students are also busy preparing for the board exams so it is difficult to hold the events in such a short notice." 

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