MSF takes up language case
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 12 2025: The Manipuri Students' Federation (MSF) has submitted a memorandum to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla urging for steps to promote Manipuri as a regional language.

The memorandum, copies of which were also submitted to Secretary Education (S); Nodal Officer, Manipuri Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (MBSS); Director, Directorate of Language Planning & Implementation; Director SCERT and Chairman, BOSEM, urged the authorities to review educational manuals and textbooks to align with development and promotion of the official language of Manipur.

The present educational framework in Manipur, where teaching in English language is dominant, may have detrimental effects on the Manipuri language, said the MSF.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes teaching in the prominent language of a region, however, concrete steps to make Manipuri textbooks widely available are yet to be taken up, said the student body.

Despite various policies to promote the Manipuri language as a regional language, effective action is yet to be seen.

There may be a decline in "our societal fabric" due to the lack of language documentation, management, and timely policy preparation, said MSF, presenting its demands before the Governor.

"We request the Nodal Officer of Manipuri Bhasha Samvardhan Samiti (MBSS) and representatives from various universities to convene a meeting.

The purpose of the meeting shall be to discuss the challenges and difficulties faced in writing Manipuri textbooks and to assign necessary tasks to authors," said MSF.

Efforts should be made to engage all subject experts (teachers) who have not been part of the current writing process, to enrich Manipuri language texts with their knowledge.

Some subjects require original content creation from scratch, while others need translation from English.

Efforts should be made to address both needs in accordance with relevant rules and regulations as soon as possible, said the MSF.

Further, the Directorate of Language Planning & Implementation (DLPI) and Manipur Government authorities should prioritise developing the Manipuri language's vocabulary and lexicon, it said.

"To achieve this, it is essential to prepare and compile a 'dictionary' (Longei), 'Encyclopaedia' (Lonhourol), and subject-specific 'Standard Glossary' as soon as possible," it added.

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has indeed brought about significant changes to the Indian education system, however, it is not yet clear that Manipur will follow the educational structure (framework) of 5+3+3+4, said MSF said.

The relevant authorities must clearly state whether students will be taught according to this new framework, with syllabus preparation, book writing, and publication tailored to Manipur's regional aspects, or continue with the existing 10+2 educational system, said the student body.

Furthermore, significant efforts are needed to make all textbooks available in Manipuri language.

To create a healthy and good society, the portion of regional aspects and aspirations should be incorporated into the curriculum and syllabus, which is the backbone of the educational system, MSF said.

The time has come to strictly scrutinize the 10+2 and the new 5+3+3+4 educational systems for the benefits of the students, added MSF .

The system of 5+3+3+4 comprises--
A) Foundational Stage (5 years): The first 3 years consist of pre-school/Anganwadi/pre-primary for children aged 3 to 6 (from birth to KG), while the latter 2 years cover Classes 1 to 2 for children aged 7 to 8 .

B) Preparatory Stage (3 years): This stage covers Classes 3 to 5 for children aged 8 to 11 .

C) Middle Stage (3 years): This stage covers Classes 6 to 8 for children aged 11 to 14 .

D) Secondary Stage (4 years): This stage covers Classes 9 to 12 for children aged 14 to 18 .

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