To,
1.
Hon’ble Sh. Narender Modi
Prime Minister of India
South Block, Raisina
Hill
New Delhi-110011
2. Hon’ble
Smt. Smriti Irani
HRD
Minister,
Govt.
of India
Shastri Bhavan
New
Delhi: 110001
3. The
Commissioner
Kendriya Vidhalaya Sangathan
18 Institutional Area
Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg
New Delhi – 110016
19.11.2014
Subject: - Withdraw decision to discontinue teaching
of German language as an option to Sanskrit in class VI to VIII in KVS
Sir/Madam
Your
attention is invited to Kendriya Vidhyalya Sangathan office memorandum dated
11.11.2014 whereby KVS has forthwith discontinued teaching of German language
as an option to Sanskrit and the students studying German as an option to
Sanskrit in class VI to VIII shall be given an option to study Sanskrit or any
other modern Indian language of his/her choice.
It
is submitted that the aforesaid mid session decision is not only unfair,
illegal, unconstitutional and unjust but also against the best interest of the
child. We are really unable to understand any good reason for bringing such
abrupt change in the curriculum. We therefore demand immediate withdrawal of
aforementioned decision and allow all the students to continue with German
language as a third language till they complete their class VI to VIII.
It is submitted that as per
recommendation of the Academic Advisory Committee in its 36th Meeting held on 8.10.2010 ( Supplementary
Agenda Item ) the Board of Governors of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan being the
apex policy making body approved the introduction of foreign languages as an
optional subject in its 89th
Meeting held on 3.11.2010 (agenda item No.7). Consequent upon the
decision of the Board of Governors, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan introduced the
foreign languages viz, German, French, Spanish, Chinese etc. from class VI –
VIII as an optional subject in addition to Indian languages. Kendriya Vidyalaya
Sangathan has introduced the foreign languages as an optional subject and has
not removed the Sanskrit language from its curriculum. It is the students as well as his/her parents
to decide which subject has to be opted by the student for the best interest of
his/her career perspective. Crores of citizens read and write Sanskrit which
clearly indicate the popularity of the Sanskrit language and introduction of
foreign languages such as German, French, Spanish, Chinese etc. cannot be
termed as arbitrary decision of Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan and against the
interest of Sanskrit. Introduction of foreign language was introduced as an
optional subject as per recommendation of Academic Advisory Committee and approval
of the Board of Governors in its 89th Meeting held on
3.11.2010. Moreover, the Central Board
of Secondary Education has also introduced various foreign languages to be
opted by the students for their better career perspective. Almost every Indian
University is providing diploma/degree courses to the students for their better
career perspective in various foreign languages. Hence, introduction of foreign
languages by Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan as optional subject cannot be viewed /termed
as arbitrary/illegal and against the interest of Sanskrit language as such
foreign languages are only optional subjects and students are at liberty either
to opt Sanskrit or any one of the foreign language as they are the best judge
of their own cause.
Regarding teaching of Foreign Languages in National Curriculum
Frame Work the guidelines has been laid down in Para 2.8.5 on “Organization of
Curriculum of elementary and Secondary Stages” are as under:
“In view of the fast increasing
international interaction and cooperation in socio-political, educational,
cultural and economic fields, a growing need for learning more and more foreign
languages like Chinese, Japanese, Russian, French, German, Arabic, Persian and
Spanish has recently been felt.
These languages cannot be accommodated within the
Three Language Formula. However,
depending on the demand for the study of any number of these and the
infrastructural resources available with the schools, these languages may be offered
as additional options at the secondary stage”.
KVS has also made provisions for teaching of the foreign
languages in Kendriya Vidyalayas as per choice of the students subject to
fulfillment of other conditions as circulated by KVS from time to time. In our
considered opinion, the withdrawal of German language is a retrograde on the
part of KVS.
It
is therefore submitted that it would be in the best interest of students to
allow them to complete class VI to VIII with German language as third language.
With regards
Ashok Agarwal, Advocate
AIPA, President
