Aizawl: In an effort to improve proficiency in Hindi, the Mizoram government will introduce a Hindi Speaking Day in all schools, a minister said on Tuesday.
State School Education Minister Vanlalthlana told a news conference that Hindi Speaking Day will be observed in all schools once a month under the supervision of the state school education department during which students and teachers will be encouraged to speak in Hindi.
The initiative aims to improve spoken Hindi skills in the state, particularly among students, he said. In Mizoram, a hilly state predominantly inhabited by the Mizo tribal community, Hindi is rarely spoken due to the small number of Hindi speakers. Mizo and English are the official languages of the state.
Vanlalthlana said that the Mizo people face a significant language barrier in other parts of the country as they cannot speak Hindi fluently. Proficiency in Hindi is increasingly necessary for students seeking jobs outside the state, he added.
He also mentioned that Hindi teachers will receive training to ensure students develop fluency, and students who do not know Hindi will be provided with special coaching.
“Given the importance of spoken Hindi, the government will notify a Hindi Speaking Day for all schools. Hindi will be used during school recesses once a month,” Vanlalthlana said, adding that spoken Hindi textbooks will be prepared by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).
The Education Minister further stated that the government will introduce a Home Language Day in all English-medium schools to promote and preserve local languages. Students in English-medium schools will be allowed to speak or communicate in their home languages (mother tongues) during school recesses once a week.
The initiative comes in response to the increasing use of English by students even at home or outside school, he noted.
Vanlalthlana also said that the government will ensure all teachers employed under the state government, except those with less than five years until retirement, clear the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) within two years from the issuance of the order, in line with the Supreme Court ruling.