MSF calls for promoting Manipuri language
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 29 2025: Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) president Hijam Roshan has said that Manipuri society will go extinct once Manipuri language is lost and stressed the need for preserving and protecting the native language.

Addressing media persons at MSF office at Kwakeithel Tuesday, Hijam Roshan said everybody rely on their own mother languages but it is questionable if the state's Directorate of Language Planning and Implementation (DLPI) has taken up any significant work for promotion of Manipuri language.

With the progress of implementation of NEP 2020 throughout the country, a huge programme for education in mother language has begun and Manipuri language too gets its share.

MSF calls for promoting Manipuri language

However, there has been no significant step taken till date to ensure abundant availability of textbooks, reference books, competitive exam books and other study materials in Manipuri language.

Some books available in market are all produced by individuals with deep interest in promoting mother language, Roshan noted.

Deeply concerned over the emerging trend in Manipuri society of disregarding mother language and promoting English language instead, Roshan said family members of the students of present generation including grand-parents seem satisfied when their young children converse in English.

However, they failed to realise as to who and how mother language will be imparted to children in future, he said and stressed the need for having farsighted vision to develop mother language (Manipuri) for the sake of future generation.

According to Roshan, all the students from class I to class X studied BOSEM textbooks in Manipuri language at one point of time.

However, today's students are more interested in learning through English medium schools and a new trend of opting alternative English than Manipuri emerged.

This is not good and it will be huge loss for the society in future, he added.

Calling upon authority concerned to take immediate steps to promote Manipuri language, the MSF president urged nodal officer and other members of Manipuri Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (MBSS) to conduct meetings and discuss problems and difficulties faced in writing Manipuri textbooks.