Bhubaneswar: The Santali Saonhed Akhada recently submitted a memorandum to the Secretary of the School and Mass Education department, urging the inclusion of the Santali language in Odisha’s education curriculum as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 implementation. With the NEP 2020 set to be rolled out in Odisha from the academic year 2025-26, the government has formed a steering committee and organised a three-day workshop to facilitate the policy’s execution. Currently, Santali is taught in some primary schools in Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar districts for grades 1 to 5 and at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
However, the language is absent in the curriculum for grades 6 to 12, leading to high dropout rates among Santali-speaking students and hindering the language’s progress in education. The memorandum pointed out that while languages like Odia, Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu, Telugu, and Bengali are promoted as first and third languages in Odisha’s education system, Santali—a constitutionally recognised language— has been overlooked. It urged its inclusion at the secondary and higher secondary levels to preserve and promote the language.
Representatives of the Santali Saonhed Akhada, including President Malati Murmu, Editor Kailash Chandra Baskey, and members Sabita Soren and Surukuni Murmu, emphasised the cultural and constitutional significance of Santali. They called for immediate steps to integrate it into the curriculum to support the Santali-speaking community and ensure equitable education.
