Hyderabad: Experts pitch for Telugu as medium of instruction

Hyderabad: Telugu literary figures on Sunday demanded that the Government take steps for protection and promotion of the language.

Incidentally, Sunday happened to be the 158th birth anniversary of Gidugu Venkata Ramamurthy Panthulu, who was a renowned Telugu writer, and one of the earliest modern Telugu linguists and social visionaries during British rule. He championed the cause of using a language comprehensible to the common man as opposed to the scholastic language. Even Chief Justice of India N V Ramana said that the misconception in society should change that only studying in English medium will open good career opportunities. He said that he himself studied Telugu medium.

Talking to The Hans India, Telugu language experts said that the state governments were not giving importance to mother tongue and it would be better if Telugu language was made as a medium of education at school level.

Dr J Chennaiah, secretary, Telangana Saraswatha Parishad, said, "Even the National Educational Policy gives importance to mother tongue. If mother tongue was implemented as a medium of education at high school level, then there would be a better all-round development of students. But the state governments and parents are under the misconception that only English medium will get them better career options. Education in the mother tongue enhances the child's imagination."

They should be made to feel proud about their background and understand their culture. Instead of making it as a subject at class ten level, it should be the medium of instruction from primary level, Chennaiah said.

Dr KV Ramana Chary, Cultural Advisor to Government of Telangana, said, "We have been observing for the last 47 years whether it was the government of Andhra Pradesh and now it is Telangana government, they have been very silent regarding implementation of Telugu language as the mother tongue." Telugu language should be encouraged at every level and matter of fact even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been saying that the medium of teaching should be in mother tongue. The state government should try to implement it," he said.

Dr Kanchanapally, Associate Editor, Literary Telugu magazine, said, "I feel that Telugu language has not been given importance and people are forgetting to speak in their mother tongue. Mother tongue plays an important role in the development of the child."