New Education Policy implementation: Assamese to be language subject up to class 10, NEP in Assam from 2021

After the launch of New Education Policy by the Centre last month, the Assam government has passed a legislation that will make Assamese as one of the language subjects to be taught in the schools of the state up to class 10, news agency ANI reported. The decision will be implemented irrespective of the orientation of schools– Hindi Medium or English medium. The report further quoted minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as saying that a task force has been set up to implement NEP from next year in the state.

“We have passed legislation that up to class 10, Assamese has to be taught as one of the subjects, whether it be an English medium or a Hindi medium school. Today we have created a task force to implement the National Education Policy”, ANI quoted Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma as saying.

Detailing on how this latest move will work, Biswa Sarma emphasized that as per the new National Education Policy, the Assamese will be the medium of instruction up to class 5 and then from class 5 to class 10, the Assamese will be one of the language subjects for the students in Assam.

“We hope to implement the National Education Policy from next academic year. So now up to class 5, the medium of instruction will be the mother tongue. Beyond class 5, Assamese will be one of the subjects”, Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma added.

Since the time it was introduced by Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and the Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javdekar, the National Education Policy has attracted a lot of scrutiny from critics for some unprecedented changes like the one of making the mother tongue a compulsory mode of instruction in lower standards.