Observe ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav’ every Dec 11 to promote Indian languages: UGC to varsities

The University Grants Commission on Friday wrote to vice-chancellors and principals of all universities and colleges in this regard following recommendations of a committee constituted last year by the education ministry to promote Indian languages.

New Delhi:

The commission also shared a concept note of the proposal with the universities, according to which universities and colleges will organise competitions, games, exhibitions and other activities to mark the day. (HT Archive)

All higher education institutions in India must observe a ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Divas’ on December 11 every year to create “language harmony” and develop a conducive environment for learning Indian languages, the higher education regulator has said.

The University Grants Commission on Friday wrote to vice-chancellors and principals of all universities and colleges in this regard following recommendations of a committee constituted last year by the education ministry to promote Indian languages.

“There is a need to create ‘language harmony’, to develop a conducive environment for learning more and more Indian languages apart from mastering one’s own mother tongue, and an attitude and aptitude to love and enjoy the ‘neighbouring language’. Learning/speaking another Indian language should be made a fashion/matter of joy and cherishing experience,” the commission said in the letter.

The committee has proposed to observe December 11 as ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas’ or ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav’ on the birth anniversary of poet Subramania Bharati, a pioneer of modern Tamil poetry who penned songs to kindle patriotism during the Independence movement.

“All the HEIs and their affiliated colleges/institutions are requested to promote Indian Languages and celebrate the Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas (Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav) on 11th December every year in a befitting manner,” the UGC said.

“Since times immemorial, Bharat has been a multilingual country. All the Indian languages coexisted and complemented each other. Commonalities in Indian languages have been one of the primary unifying factors of Indians,” said Chamu Krishna Shastry, chairperson of the language committee. “Therefore, keeping all this in view, to strengthen multilingualism, to encourage people to learn more languages and to make people experience unity in diversity, it is recommended to observe Bharatiya Bhasha Diwas and celebrate it as Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav.”

The commission also shared a concept note of the proposal with the universities, according to which universities and colleges will organise competitions, games, exhibitions and other activities to mark the day. They will also be felicitating students who know multiple languages, or those who can read the scripts of major Indian languages.

“It will help build a growing momentum behind learning more Indian languages other than mastering one’s own mother tongue. It would also promote greater cultural awareness and inclusivity among individuals and wider society,” the note stated.

Elaborating the reason behind choosing the birth anniversary of Bharati to observe the day, the note said: “Bharati in his time was considered to be the bridge between the North and the South. Observing his Jayanti as Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav day would once again strengthen the national unity.”

The central government has been making efforts to promote Indian languages. It is soon going to establish 22 bhasha kendras (language centres) to promote Indian languages as enshrined in the eighth schedule of the Constitution, HT reported on October 17.