Gujarati becomes compulsory in all primary schools

Students of the primary schools affiliated to the CBSE and ICSE boards as well as those of Hindi and Urdu mediums in Gujarat will now have to learn Gujarati language from class 1 to 8, the state government told the Legislative Assembly today.

Education Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama said the decision would be implemented from this academic year.

He said though the Kothari Commission, set up by the Centre in 1960s, recommended that mother tongue be given a preference in education, many non-Gujarati medium schools in the state as well as those affiliated with other Boards are not teaching Gujarati.

"As a result, children of this state are unable to understand or speak proper Gujarati. We are confident that this decision would make such children familiar with the language of this state," Chudasama told the House.

The minister said the decision was taken with a view to make students of other boards and mediums familiar with Gujarati language.

"This will be applicable to CBSE, ICSE, IB, CISCE and IGCSE boards as well as those schools which are of other mediums. To ease the burden of students, only basic Gujarati will be introduced in standard 1 and 2. Later, it will be introduced in other standards," he said.