Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad seeks PM’s intervention

Mysore/Mysuru: Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad has called upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support the implementation of mother-tongue as the medium of instruction up to class five in Karnataka’s State syllabus.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister and dated Oct. 16, 2023, MP Prasad highlighted recent media reports concerning the Union HRD (Human Resource Development) Ministry pressuring the Karnataka State Government to retract a unanimously-passed Bill from 2015.

This Bill granted the State Government the authority to designate the mother-tongue or the State language as the medium of instruction up to class five in the State syllabus.

After receiving the Governor’s approval, the Bill was sent to the President of India for final endorsement. Unfortunately, the Union HRD Ministry is yet to forward the Bill to the President. Instead, HRD officers have raised objections, which, according to MP Prasad, are baseless. One objection pertains to the three-language formula, which is related to language requirements for students and not the medium of instruction. Other objections are of a general nature.

Sreenivasa Prasad stated, “I request your intervention in this matter and urge you to direct HRD Ministry officials to withdraw these objections promptly and send the bill for the President’s approval. To the best of my knowledge, the Government of India’s policy is to encourage the use of the mother-tongue as a medium of instruction.”

Copies of the letter have been forwarded to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and the Secretary of the HRD Ministry in New Delhi.