Who gave TSBIE authority to declare English as first language?

Hyderabad: Has the Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education (TSBIE) got any special immunity from the official language law passed by the State Assembly?

The question comes to the fore following the TSBIE continuing to accord the first language status to English in its syllabus for the first and second intermediate course curriculum.

According to sources, the Official Language Act of AP and Telangana declares Telugu as the official language of the respective States.

Accordingly, and following the three-language formula, students of Class X study Telugu, Urdu, and other mother tongues as the first language. Under the second language option, students can opt for Hindi, Sanskrit, Arabic and other languages.

Speaking to The Hans India, a member of the Telangana State Gazetted Headmasters Association (TSGHA), says, "SSC students study English as the third language."

Giving effect to the New Education Policy (NEP), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum for the academic year 2022-23, notified Languages (Group-I)

Under the new curriculum, students can study English Language and Literature and English Communicative, along with 44 other language options in Classes IX and X. Similarly, in classes XI and XII, they can study 'English core and English elective', along with 38 language options. The languages a student can pursue cover one's own mother tongue and; languages of other States in the country. Also, foreign languages like Japanese, Thai, German, Arabic, Persian, Tibetan and Russian.

"There is no need to be anti-English. A student may study English as a mandatory subject as the second or third language. But, giving a first language status to English by the TSBIE is not only a sign of belittling Telugu, which has been accorded as a classical language. But it also is gross violation of the Official Language Act of the State." said an office-bearer of the State Lecturers Association.

That apart, English is only one of the languages under the VIII Schedule of the Constitution. It has not been accorded any special status. Then, how come the TSBIE accords English first language status in violation of the Act, as well as the spirit of the VIII schedule. When asked a TSBIE official pointed out that there were several meetings of the subject matter expert committee. Several issues were discussed; even making Telugu compulsory till Class XII in Telangana. However, the issue of according first language status to English is a violation of the Act has not come up for discussion.