UGC asks colleges, universities to celebrate ‘Matribhasha Diwas’ on February 21

NEW DELHI: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has urged all higher education institutions to observe ‘Matribhasha Diwas’ on February 21.

The Commission has asked colleges, universities to organize activities such as elocution, debate, singing, painting, essay writing competitions, music and dramatic performances, exhibitions with all COVID-19 protocols in place to celebrate the occasion.

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The Commission has asked all institutions to upload a report on the celebration of the event on the UGC Activity Monitoring Portal - ugc.ac.in/uamp once the celebration is over.

“The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day to promote dissemination of mother language of all and create awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions and diversity across the world and to inspire solidarity among people of different cultures, speaking different languages,” the UGC said in an official statement.

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India also celebrates ‘Matribhasha Diwas’ on this day every year to promote the use of mother tongue.

Earlier in 2021, UGC asked the colleges, universities and other higher educational institutions to observe ‘Cyber Jagrookta (Awareness) Diwas’ every month to spread awareness amongst students to deal with cyber crimes.

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Meanwhile, in other news, UGC warned students against a fake notice claiming to be UGC notification which says that all universities will conduct semester exams in offline mode. The Commission has not issued any such notice, it clarified.