Teacher eligibity test to continue in 20 languages

New Delhi: After coming under criticism from several quarters, including opposition parties, Union HRD minister Prakash Javadekar has directed CBSE to continue conducting the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) in the 20 Indian languages as earlier.

The directive by Mr Javadekar came following criticism of CBSE's decision to remove 17 languages including Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati and Bengali from the list of options for CTET.

“CTET examination will be conducted in all Indian languages as was being conducted earlier. I have already directed @cbseindia29 to conduct examination in all the 20 languages as was being done earlier,” Mr Javadekar tweeted.

“CTET examination will be held in English, Hindi, Assamese, Bangla, Garo, Gujarati, Kanada, Khasi, Malyalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Mizo, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu,Tibetan & Urdu @cbseindia29,” he added.

DMK leader Kanimozhi on Monday took to Twitter to express her anger at the CBSE's earlier decision to drop languages which she said will come as a blow to speakers of several regional languages.

“The decision to drop Tamil and 16 other regional languages from Central Teacher Eligibility Test is highly condemnable and strikes at the root of federalism. Students of CBSE whose mother tongue is Tamil will be put to a great disadvantage without teachers,” DMK leader Kanimozhi  said.

"Students are forced to study Hindi and Sanskrit instead of their mother tongue. This will lead to another language struggle through out the country. This is another of BJPs efforts to make a Hindi-Hindu Hindustan,” said Kanimozhi.

Meanwhile, briefing the media over the achievements of his ministry in the last four years, the minister also stated that the much awaited National Education Policy's "zero draft" is ready and will be implemented by the end of 2018. "The draft of the policy is ready. We are giving it the final shape," said Javadekar, who was  "Bilkul (definitely)," was his reply when a reporter asked him whether the policy will be in place by the end of 2018.

The Minister said that 33 new initiatives have been taken in the last four years to strengthen the educational system. "Revolutionary changes have been made by the Ministry as it is committed to providing affordable and quality education for all," he said.

He also refuted the allegations that the government was working to curtail the autonomy of IIMs and other institutes of eminence.

"Rather, we want to strengthen them as we are committed to giving them autonomy. There is no danger to their autonomy. The question is to change the laws," he said.  Saying that the Midday Meal Scheme was being further strengthened by granting more funds, he claimed that the budget for education was increased from Rs 67,000 crore to Rs 1,10,000 crore in four years.