GANGTOK: Indra Hang Subba, the Lok Sabha MP from Sikkim, has focused attention to the inclusion of Tamang, Rai, Gurung, and Sherpa languages in the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum in Sikkim.
Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Minister of State for Education, has responded by saying that the recognition of these languages in CBSE’s Class XI and XII curriculum is not feasible due to logistical and academic limitations.
Referring to the letter from Subba dated 26 July 2024, Chaudhary acknowledged the profound cultural significance that these languages hold in the Himalayan state of Sikkim.
However, he highlighted that low student enrollment, with only 68 students across 14 schools, and a shortage of subject experts proficient in these languages, acts as a barrier to this proposal.
In addition to it, the duration of examination could be extended by the introduction of additional languages which would disrupt the academic calendar.
It is worth mentioning that CBSE already offers ten languages from Sikkim which represents 25% of its linguistic offerings. This stands as a testament to the board’s commitment to uphold regional diversity.
The Ministry of Education also stressed upon the importance of regional languages and indicated towards further collaboration with the NCERT to promote them through other educational initiatives.
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