The government of Bihar has decided to make the global language ‘English’ as an important subject in the new syllabus proposed in the state.

The syllabus has been prepared on the basis of National Curriculum Framework and the Central Board of Secondary Education. However, the government has not yet decided to make the language as compulsory subject.

Now, with this decision, English is all set to return in state government schools. The government is ready, the schools are ready and the students are also ready as well.

The important question rises that where is the teachers who would teach English to students? There is a need of more than 70,000 qualified English teachers in Bihar.

Earlier, the Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda had sent some directions to the Bihar government to make English compulsory in schools from Standard I to Standard X by saying that it is needed for equity.

The ground reality is that making English as compulsory would cause many practical difficulties for students as well as for teachers too. So, the Bihar government has decided to stop one step short of the complete direction sent by Pitroda. The government has opted to go step by step in this matter.

HRD Commissioner-cum-Secretary MM Jha said;

Former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur’s formula of education in Bihar had made English language unneeded in Bihar’s schools. Now, we are trying to revive it. Making it compulsory would be decided only after wider consultation.

The government has decided to introduce English from class VI onwards in the proposed syllabi. Finding more than 70,000 well-qualified English teachers in the state is the biggest problem.

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