Act of imposing Hindi will be detrimental on regional languages: Siddaramaiah
Bagalkote: "The Central government's proposed National Education Policy will be detrimental to the regional languages. In a federal system, imposing the Hindi language is not a good decision", said former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Inaugurating a Kannada medium award presentation programme, organised by the Kannada Development Authority to honour students who secured highest marks in Kannada in SSLC and PUC state and taluk level here on Sunday, Siddaramaiah said that " there is a need to express our commitment to protect our regional languages. The central government which has proposed a new National Educational Policy has invited objections and opinions from the states. I have filed my objections immediately. There is no question of accepting it", he said.
Kannada Development Authority has also opposed the move and the state government has also written to the central government against it. When he was the chief minister, he had taken action to protect the language. He had removed the Hindi name boards in Metro train leaving only Kannada and English languages. "Unfortunately, our courts are in favour of our language policy. When I was the CM, the Supreme Court had said that choosing a language medium is not the selection of the government, it's the selection of the parents. English medium schools and parents have got the benefit keeping this verdict and admitting their children", he said.
"When I was the CM, I have written to the center and chief ministers of all states when the Supreme Court has given the verdict. But none have shown interest. Getting education in the medium of the language of the land will benefit the students. International fame scientist Prof UR Rao also got his primary education in Kannada medium. Even I too have studied in Kannada medium school. We should have concerns and commitment towards our language. If needed, learn 100 languages. But primary education should be given in the mother tongue. Who will protect our mother tongue if not we", he asked.
"Our culture will be survived if our language is protected. Our life, our state will be survived. For no reason, we should not neglect our mother tongue", Siddaramaiah advocated.
Minister Shivanand Patil said that the Kannada Development Authority has been showing its commitment to Kannada land and language and water. The government was supporting its decision. Children could get better knowledge if they get education in the mother tongue, he said.
Needy of new language policy
Presiding over the programme, Authority chairman Prof SG Siddaramaiah said that there was a need to introduce a strong language policy in a federal system like India. Former CM Siddaramaiah had shown interest to protect the language. When he was the CM, he had taken steps to open closed government schools. He had made it compulsory Kannada language as a first or second language in central schools in the state. But the officials had to introspect over its implementation, he said.
SP president Bayakka Meri, district Kannada Sahitya Parishat president Srishaila Erappa Karishankari, Hampi Kannada University former vice Chancellor Mallika Ghanti, senior journalist Dinesh Amin Matru, DC Ramachandra, ZP CEO Gangubai Manakar and others were present.
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FM Sitharaman launches 'VijAIpatha' labs in govt schools in Karnataka
Hampi (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday launched Cyient AI Labs (CyAILS) -- 'VijAIpatha', aimed at democratising access to Artificial Intelligence, STEM and Robotics education in government schools here.
In a series of posts on 'X', the minister's office shared pictures of the initiative launched at a girl's government school in Hosapete taluk and said that under the pilot phase, five world-class AI, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Robotics laboratories are being established in government schools.
Each lab will be equipped with high-performance computers, AI-ready software, robotics kits, IoT devices, sensors and secure broadband connectivity.
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"Aligned with NEP 2020, Digital India and Hon'ble Prime Minister @narendramodi's mission of Viksit Bharat 2047, the programme integrates CBSE's AI curriculum and strengthens technology-enabled learning in public education," it said.
Focusing on rural and semi-urban India, the initiative introduces future technologies at the school level, helping build early digital fluency, computational thinking and innovation capacity among students, the minister's office said.
"Benefiting over 2,000 students and training more than 200 teachers, 'VijAIpatha' is a scalable CSR model fostering innovation, career readiness and grassroots digital empowerment," it added.
According to the office, the initiative has been designed as a scalable, replicable and sustainable model that can be adopted across districts and states in collaboration with government education departments, positioning it as a benchmark CSR model for a national AI education rollout.
