The Centre's decision to make Hindi a compulsory subject for all schools till Class X triggered controversy in the northeast region of the country. The North East Students’ Organization (NESO), which consists of a group of eight student bodies, had protested against the Centre’s decision and rued that the move would be harmful for indigenous languages, which will result in disharmony.

In a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the organisation had called for immediate withdrawal of the “unfavourable policy”. It also proposed that indigenous languages should be made a compulsory subject in their native states till Class X, while Hindi should be made an optional or elective subject. On April 7, during a meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee in New Delhi, Amit Shah stated that all the states in the northeast region had agreed to make Hindi a compulsory subject in schools till Class X.

“It is understood that the Hindi language accounts for approximately 40-43 per cent of native speakers in India, however, it is worth noting that there is an abundance of other native languages in the country that are rich, thriving and vibrant in their own perspectives, giving India an image of a diverse and multilingual nation,” NESO said.

The organisation also stated that each state in the northeast region bears its own unique and diversified languages spoken by different ethnic groups, ranging from Indo-Aryan to Tibeto-Burman to Austro-Asiatic families. Among others, the organisation also comprises All Assam Students’ Union, Naga Students’ Federation, All Manipur Students’ Union and All Arunachal Pradesh Students’ Union.

“The imposition of Hindi as a compulsory subject in the region will be detrimental not only for the propagation and dissemination of indigenous languages, but also to students who will be compelled to add another compulsory subject to their already-vast syllabus. Such a move will not usher in unity, but will be a tool to create apprehensions and disharmony. NESO is vehemently against this policy and will continue to oppose it,” stated the letter dated April 12 and signed by its chairman Samuel B Jyrwa and secretary general Sinam Prakash Singh.

NESO also included that the Centre should focus on further upliftment of indigenous languages of the northeast, just like the incorporation in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution and facilitating more schemes for their development and progress.