CIE introduces Sanskrit as second language

Hyderabad: The Commissioner of Intermediate Education (CIE) on Friday issued a memo to all government junior colleges and private-aided junior colleges in the State to introduce Sanskrit as the second language immediately.

The District Intermediate Education Officers were asked to identify the needy places for sanction of junior lecturer posts for Sanskrit in government junior colleges. However, taking exception,the Telangana State Government Colleges Contract Lecturers' Association (TSGCCLA) called it a hasty decision and asked for its rollback. It alleged that Sanskrit, as a second language, was being used by some corporate colleges for getting better marks for students.

"This will have no positive impact on society at large". The association said the unilateral decision of CIE without consulting educationalists and those connected with junior colleges was hasty. The Centre for Educational Studies (CES), chairman, N Narayana demanded CIE to take back the order. He said Sanskrit was not useful for getting jobs. "Introducing it at the intermediate level would hit hard the future of students".

He also demanded CIE spell out the preference to Sanskrit, rather than Telugu and Urdu, being taught as the second language. He asked CIE not to encourage 'Manu Samskruthi' under the grab of Sanskrit.

The Telangana Schools Technical College's Employees Association (TSTCEA) president A Santhosh Kumar alleged that Sanskrit was being taken by 80 per cent of students as the second language in corporate junior colleges for improving ranks. "The CIE order reveals people backed it to encourage the same and demanded to take the order back.