Tripura: Education minister advocates for addition of Kokborok language in 8th Schedule of Constitution

AGARTALA: Tripura Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Sunday strongly advocated for the inclusion of Kokborok language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution for its proper development. Kokborok is one of Tripura's official languages and the mother tongue of the major tribes of the state including Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia, Uchoi and Koloi.

Addressing the 47th Kokborok Diwas at Rabindra Bhavan, the minister said the present government has taken initiatives to develop all the languages of the tribal communities including Kokborok.

"The Kokborok language should be included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution as it will ensure the language's proper development", Nath said. "The Kokborok language has been introduced from primary to university level for its proper development. Around 10,000 students are studying in Kokborok language in the state," he said.

Nath said Tripura University, a central university, has introduced PhD course in the Kokborok language and currently four students are pursuing PhD in the language in the varsity. Asserting that the government is also trying to develop other languages of different tribes of the state, Nath appealed to the intellectuals of tribal communities to come forward for proper development of the languages.