GUWAHATI: During an election campaign event in Panna held on Monday, Madhya Pradesh, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma called for a gradual process of decolonising India's educational system and shifting the primary language of instruction away from English.
Addressing a gathering of supporters, CM Sarma highlighted the need for reform in India's educational framework. He expressed, "Gradually, we have to decolonise our country. Whatever we are taught in our schools and medical colleges, is taught in English. Let us reform it to Hindi, Assamese, or Bengali. It is never said that one can only become a doctor by studying in English. We have to make changes in the English syllabus."
Taking to Twitter, the official account of the Assam Chief Minister put out, "HCM Dr @himantabiswa calls for decolonisation of India's educational system.”
Sarma's views align with those of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has previously advocated for an increased emphasis on regional languages in the field of education. Sarma also commended the steps taken by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has introduced the option of studying in Hindi in all medical colleges within the state, deviating from the longstanding convention of English as the sole medium of instruction.