Row over replacing Urdu with Sanskrit in Rajasthan government schools

JAIPUR: Orders replacing Urdu with Sanskrit as the third language in some government schools in Rajasthan followed by a minister's remarks that many Urdu teachers secured jobs with fake degrees has created a row in the BJP-ruled state. Rajasthan's education department had recently issued an order to Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion), Jaipur, to suspend classes offering Urdu as the third language and introduce it as an option. A few days later, a government senior secondary school in Bikaner received a similar communication for replacing the language.

Amid growing resentment against the twin orders, a fresh controversy broke out on Monday after Minister of State for Home Jawahar Singh Bedham purportedly said that many Urdu teachers in the state secured jobs with fake degrees. "The previous (Congress) government removed Sanskrit teachers and posted Urdu teachers in their place. Now, we don't know Urdu and no one even studies that subject, which is why we will discontinue the posts of Urdu teachers and provide the kind of education that people want here," Bedham said during an event held in Bharatpur on Monday which circulated in the social circles.

Rajasthan's Urdu Teachers' Association termed the minister's remarks baseless and irresponsible. "It is not correct to call Urdu teachers fake without any investigation. It is also untrue that previous Congress government appointed Urdu teachers replacing Sanskrit teachers," said Urdu Teachers' Association president Amin Kayamkhani. School Education Minister Madan Dilawar was not available for comments.

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However, Board of Secondary Education Director Ashish Modi said it is not a blanket order for all schools. "It is not a blanket order. Except one student, there is nobody who studies Urdu as the third language in a government school in Napasar, Bikaner. This is the reason why it was discontinued," he said.

The order to suspend Urdu classes in Mahatma Gandhi Government School (RAC Battalion), Jaipur, was issued by the district education officer on the directions of Dilawar's special assistant. "The minister has ordered the creation of Sanskrit teachers' posts and close down Urdu (classes). Therefore, make sure to send the complete proposal for opening Sanskrit as a third language in your school to this office," the order states. Taking an objection, Congress MLA Rafeek Khan wrote a letter to Dilawar. "Presently, 127 students studying Urdu as third language in the school. Closing Urdu classes would adversely affect the students," he said.