The Assam government will review the issue of language policy for primary education in its next Cabinet meeting.
Assam chief secretary Alok Kumar informed this to a delegation of the Asom Sahitya Sabha (ASS) in a meeting on Tuesday.
ASS president Paramananda Rajbongshi said the language policy for primary education was finalised by the Sabha in consultation with language experts on August 7 last year and submitted to the State government for implementation.
Clearing its stand over the new national language policy, the delegation told the chief secretary that the Sabha would never oppose the move to implement Hindi language, but “the new policy should also have to work on the implementation of Assam’s official language and other indigenous mother tongues up to Class XII in all schools of the State, failing which the Sabha would oppose the policy, The Assam Tribune reported.
Rajbongshi further said that government has planned to include a paper on the history and traditions of Assam along with Assamese and other indigenous languages in the Assam Civil Services examination.
“Alok Kumar had stated that, as per the Official Language Act, a candidate can write the answers of the paper even in Bodo and Bangla languages. The matter will also be included in the agenda of next Cabinet meeting,” Dr Rajbongshi said.
In the same meeting, the Chief Secretary announced that the State government would make it compulsory for all colleges and universities of Assam to publish all their notices in both English and the official language of Assam, besides ensuring use of the languages in other official works.