The Bodo Medium of instruction will cover subjects like History, Geography, Education, Logic & Philosophy, Economics, Political Science, Environmental Education, Mathematics, and Swadesh Adhyayan. This initiative provides students the choice to learn in their mother tongue, thereby fostering a deeper understanding and connection with their curriculum.
Assam’s Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, voiced his support for multilingual education via a tweet. He emphasised the importance of offering students the option to study in the language they are most comfortable with, mentioning Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, or Santhali, in line with the National Education Policy’s vision of accessible education. He also encouraged learning at least one indigenous language.
The introduction of Bodo as a medium of instruction has been welcomed by the Bodo community and leaders of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR). Pramod Boro, BTR Chief, expressed his gratitude to the Chief Minister and Education Minister Ranoj Pegu on social media, celebrating the move as a significant day for the preservation and promotion of the Bodo language.
To ensure the smooth roll-out of the Bodo Medium of instruction, institutions willing to offer this medium are asked to inform AHSEC. They are also required to submit a list of Post Graduate Teachers (PGT), with each teacher’s subject of expertise, to the AHSEC’s office by June 5, 2023, via email at ahsec2@yahoo.com.
The AHSEC’s decision to introduce the Bodo Medium of instruction in the Arts Stream for higher secondary education is a crucial step towards inclusive education, reinforcing the importance of linguistic diversity in the educational realm.