Why Himanta Biswa Sarma has decided to contradict PM Modi and Amit Shah

On July 28, Assam government decided to make it compulsory for all government-run schools to teach mathematics and science in English instead of Assamese or other vernacular languages from class 3 to class 12. State education minister Ranoj Pegu declared that the government would also set up 5-10 schools in each district that will have English as an optional medium of instruction in all subjects. So, a student will get to decide in these schools whether he or she wants to learn the subjects in English or in Assamese or in Bodo or in Bangla.

This was not unexpected as, in May, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had announced that the state would go for hybrid mode of instruction—some subjects would be taught in English and some in regional languages. Considering that the knowledge of English language is always an added qualification in the job market, in India and across the globe, the decision should have pleased many, particularly students and parents.

The country has always witnessed the desperation of parents to send their children to English-medium schools, which are often exorbitantly expensive. Assam government now seeks to provide the same advantage to students studying in much affordable government schools. Quite understandably, many students and parents have expressed happiness over the decision.

But there is a twist in the tale.

The decision goes against the basic essence of the National Education Policy (NEP) released in July 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Union government. It’s surprising that the BJP-led Assam government has decided to ignore a policy much propagated by the government at the Centre, which is also run by the same saffron party. In a way, Sarma is not convinced by what Modi believes in.

One of the most advocated fundamentals of the NEP is the focus on regional language as medium of instruction. A section of NEP titled “Multilingualism and the power language” reads: “It is well understood that young children learn and grasp nontrivial concepts more quickly in their home language/mother tongue…Wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language.” Assam government has decided to do almost the opposite of it.

But the bigger irony is that the decision directly contradicts what Union Home Minister publicly said a day later—even engineering, medicine, and law should be taught in regional languages. Speaking on the second anniversary of the NEP, Shah said research and development can only be done when one thinks in their own language, and this was one of the reasons that India is lagging in research field. His Cabinet colleague and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan went one step ahead and said that NEP was a counter to the Macaulay education system that was brought by the British to colonise the minds of Indians. Even Chief Minister Sarma had earlier professed his support for teaching medicine and engineering in Assamese in the state.

But now suddenly, he seems to have discovered the merits of English as a medium of instruction. This is likely to lead to a strange situation if Sarma implements what he has said publicly till now—students in Assam will learn mathematics and science in English in schools and then will learn medicine and engineering in Assamese again in colleges. And he blames the students for this confusion.

On being asked, Sarma told India Today NE  that his government had taken the decision because of growing demand by students from Assamese medium schools who find it difficult to crack engineering and medical entrance tests because “these examinations are conducted in English”. Of course, there was no survey done to understand what percentage of students wanted this conversion, but what the chief minister seems to have conveniently forgotten is that the National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET) for admissions to medical courses and Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admissions to engineering courses are conducted in multiple regional languages, including Assamese.

Yet he is eager to showcase that he is a loyal follower of what the Central government does. He points fingers at the CBSE-affiliated schools which are in English medium. “Are the CBSE-affiliated schools teaching subjects in regional languages? I’m just following the best practices of Union government,” he asserts. If that doesn’t convince you, he has another argument. His government had formed a 40-member committee, headed by the principal secretary of education department, to usher in the implementation of the NEP. This committee, according to Sarma, also suggested teaching mathematics and science in English.

There may be merits in the suggestion. But what is also needed is clarity of vision. The layman wants to know—what’s important for the child? To learn in English or in regional languages? The NEP says one thing, but the committee formed to implement the same in Assam is suggesting the opposite. Amit Shah is advocating one thing, Sarma, his trusted deputy from the north east, is moving in another direction.

Who is correct? Who is wrong?

There is another question, may not be as confusing. By Assam government’s own admission, about 8,000 posts of school teachers are lying vacant across the state. What will be the priority of the government? To recruit new teachers or to train the existing ones so that they can teach in English. Nobody has an immediate answer.