Assam: ‘Discrimination’ on Bodo language in GU integrated course decried

KOKRAJHAR: The All Bodo Students’ Union (ABSU) on Tuesday slammed the Gauhati University authority for neglecting the Bodo language in integrated courses in BA and MA. The ABSU also expressed anguish over non-inclusion of representatives of BTR area in Bodoland University Court.

In a press meet held at Bodofa House, Baganshali in Kokrajhar on Tuesday, ABSU president Dipen Boro said the act of leaving out of five years integrated (BA and MA) course in Bodo under Gauhati University for the session of 2023-24 was a clear discrimination on Bodo language. He said the Gauhati University has not listed the Bodo in its five years integrated master degree course for the session 2023-24, whereas the same university had offered courses for Assamese, Arabic, Bengali, English, ELT, Hindi, linguistic, Persian and Sanskrit.

“It is a serious concern for the aspiring students by depriving our opportunity to study in a five-year integrated course,” he said, adding that the ABSU felt discontent over the act of partiality and injustice against the students’ community and demanded immediate admission for the Bodo department from the current session. He warned that ABSU will be bound to go for democratic movement for the interest of the future of the students if Bodo is left in the integrated course. He also demanded to review and withdraw the imposition of teaching of Science and Mathematics in English in Bodo medium (mother tongue) schools, which is against NEP-2020.

Boro said as per the commitment of the Chief Minister of Assam, the Education department and Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) have been working in a mission mode to start the Bodo medium in H.S. 1st Year/2nd year from the session 2023-24. For this printing and publication of the textbooks in Bodo are almost in the final stage but despite that, it seems uncertain that the government has not notified the names of the HS Schools where the students will study and the admission will start. He said the ABSU and the Bodo Sahitya Sabha (BSS) have already submitted the list demanding 50 HS Schools to start in BTR and Assam. He urged the government of Assam to notify the name of the HS schools to study in Bodo medium at the earliest.

The ABSU urges the government of Assam to review and withdraw the decision of teaching science and mathematics in English in class-VI in all the Bodo medium schools, which is against the interest of mother tongue medium and NEP-2020. He said the ABSU will oppose the instruction of the New School Rules of Education department where teaching of science and mathematics is mentioned as mandatory. He also demanded to send textbooks, teaching- learning and examination in Bodo medium failing of which their democratic stand and movement will continue against the forceful imposition in the days to come.

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