AHSEC rolls back decision on Alternative English, faces flak

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) rolled back its decision 'withdrawing Alternative English from the MIL (Modern Indian Language) group from the 2021-22 HS session. The Council now says that Alternative English will continue as part of core subjects instead of MIL as it was earlier.

In a notification in this regard, the Department of Secondary Education issued a notification on Thursday.

The Secondary Education Department's notification mentions that the KSU (Karbi Students Union), principals of different Senior Secondary Schools, Higher Secondary schools of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and other parts of the state of Assam have submitted representations to the Council. The AHSEC added that the representations are regarding the problems they are facing about the admission of students into the HS Higher Secondary first-year class (without the subject — namely Alternative English as MIL — in the curriculum).

In their representations, they have stated that the students of Karbi Anglong, West Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao generally opted for Alternative English as MIL, since Karbi and Dimasa languages have not yet been recognized as MIL by the AHSEC.

The students belonging to other Boards, and also of the English-medium schools who are planning to get admitted to the HS level under AHSEC may face similar problems due to the non-availability of Alternative English as MIL in the curriculum, pointed out the organizations in their representations.

Taking their viewpoints and concerns into account as well as in the interest of students, the Education Department of the Government of Assam has reviewed the whole matter which has arisen due to the withdrawal of Alternative English as MIL.

The notification (AHSEC/ACA/ENG/243/2008/02) dated 04/01/2021 stated that the Department thinks that the sudden withdrawal of the mentioned subject from the HS class syllabus will badly affect a section of students, who are aspiring for admission into Class-XI under AHSEC.

"In view of the above, the Government of Assam in Secondary Education Department in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 14 (4) of the 'Assam Higher Secondary Education Act-1984' does hereby direct the AHSEC to keep its notification in abeyance until further order."

Meanwhile, the Purvanchal Tai Sahitya Sabha — an umbrella organization of literary bodies of various communities of the State — has criticized the move of the AHSEC to keep 'Alternative English' as a core subject in lieu of MIL from the academic session of 2021-2022. They said that the decision on Alternative English was taken after consultation with various organizations like Axam Xahitya Xabha (AXX), Bodo Sahitya Sabha and the AASU (All Assam Students' Union).

The literary organizations further questioned the Council for making this move mandatory for all across the State. It suggested that the decision should have been taken only for the students of two districts — Dima Hasao and Karbi Anglong — from where the complaints have been made of the AHSEC's earlier decision to withdraw Alternative English as MIL in the HS level. The literary organization also stated that in those two districts, the new one should be implemented for three years.

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