Smriti Irani Smriti Irani

After its controversial diktat to educational institutions to celebrate the Sanskrit week, Human Resource Development (HRD) Minister Smriti Irani has effected a mid-session change across Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs)- asking them to stop teaching German as the third language instead of Sanskrit across its schools.

As a result, over 70,000 students across 500 KVs from classes 6 to 8 will be asked to switch from German to Sanskrit or any other modern Indian language with immediate effect. Irani also decided that German should henceforth be offered only as a hobby or an additional language.

Further, it has been decided that an inquiry be conducted and accountability fixed on how KVS entered into a MoU to teach German language in alleged violation of the three-language formula.

Irani who heads the Board of Governors (BoG) of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) in her capacity as the HRD minister chaired the 99th meeting of the Board on October 27, 2014 which decided that, "teaching of German language as an option to Sanskrit will be discontinued herewith". The decision has been taken arguing that offering German language was a violation of the three-language formula enunciated in the National Policy of Education, 1986.

Going a step further, it was also decided at the meeting that any issue of teaching a foreign language or any collaboration with a foreign institute will now have to get prior approval from the HRD ministry.

Since the change is being effected mid session, the students who will be affected by the move and their parents will be offered counseling by KVS. While existing Sanskrit teachers will be drawn in to teach the additional students switching from German, KVs have been asked to recruit contractual teachers for teaching of any other modern Indian language that a student may opt for.

India Today was first to report how the HRD ministry had refused to permit KVS to renew its MoU with the Goethe Institut for teaching of German in September this year citing that this was in violation of the three-language formula.

The HRD ministry that actively supported the MoU in 2011 has now in fact staged a curious turn around on the issue citing the three-language formula from the 1960s and a PIL filed a year back by the Sanskrit Shikshan Sangh that argues that teaching of German and other foreign languages in KVs and CBSE schools is unconstitutional on the basis of the language formula.

More than half of the total KVs in the country now have German language courses on offer for students, thanks to the support from Goethe Institut. The Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan have provided over 700 teachers well versed in the language to KVs. Many of these teachers have gone to Kendriya Vidyalaya schools spread about in the Indian hinterland and Naxal areas as well.

The three-language formula dictates that schools teach Hindi, English and modern Indian language- Sanskrit is a popular option in north Indian states. Brought in 1968 and reiterated in the 1986 Education Policy, the three-language formula has been challenged by many for being out of tune with the changing globalised world.

In a fast changing world, students have shown greater interest in picking up an option like German rather than Sanskrit- a move that earned the ire of the Sanskrit Shikshan Sansthan that dragged KVS to court on the issue last year.