Students today launched a statewide agitation, demanding translation of school and college textbooks into the Manipuri language, which has been included in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The movement spearheaded by the Manipur Students’ Federation, MSF, gathered momentum with a symbolic protest where students of Ibotonsana Girls’ Higher Secondary School, Imphal West, formed a human chain in front of their school this morning.
With placards that read “Respect Manipuri Language, Respect Manipur”, “Promote Our Script, Preserve Our Identity”, and “Education in Mother Tongue is Our Right”, students demanded the immediate initiation of the process for the translation of all academic textbooks into Manipuri by the state government. They asserted that the use of their mother tongue in the education system is not only a constitutional right but also an important step in preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of Manipur.
Speaking to the media during the protest, MSF General Secretary Sundar Khuman said that students in Manipur continue to depend on textbooks written in other languages, which alienates them from their roots and creates barriers to effective learning. “Our language represents our identity and heritage. When Manipuri is recognized under the Eighth Schedule, why should our students continue to learn in borrowed languages? We must teach in our own tongue,” he said.
He further added that though the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 clearly encourages education in the mother tongue or local language at all levels, it has not been properly implemented in Manipur. “The government talks about preserving local cultures, but when it comes to practical steps like using Manipuri in classrooms, nothing has been done,” he added.
The leaders of the MSF said Manipuri is not only a regional language but a cultural unifier for all communities of the state and that any negligence of the language would amount to disregarding the identity and history of the Manipuri people.
While quoting the statement, the students’ body expressed that a memorandum was earlier submitted to Manipur Governor A.K. Bhalla urging immediate measures to implement Manipuri as the medium of instruction and to start translating all academic materials into the language. However, they alleged that no significant action has been taken by the authorities so far.
MSF announced plans for similar human chain demonstrations and awareness drives across schools and colleges in the state to press for recognition, promotion, and practical use of Manipuri in education, as part of the agitation that continued today.