Alt. English should be kept as an optional subject only for the few students whose mother tongue is not included in the curriculum. But at the same time, Spoken English should be made compulsory in all the vernacular medium school. In the era of globalisation, no one can deny the fact that English has emerged as the unofficial national language of India. In a state like India where hundreds of languages and dialects exist, inability to communicate in English is a sort of dumbness. Government, Asom Sahitya Sabha and various students’ organisations should take the initiative to make spoken English a part of curriculum in all the vernacular medium schools.
Government must have to appoint specially trained teacher to teach spoken English, as majority of the teachers in the vernacular medium schools lacks the ability to teach English with correct pronunciations. Government should take immediate step for the welfare of the students of Assam. Otherwise, the government will be responsible for the setbacks faced by the students of vernacular medium. Please, don’t get rid of your responsibility by citing a few examples where students from vernacular medium schools have excelled in English. These are exceptions. Kindly, Don’t generalise it. I request the readers to put forward their views through this column and drum up support in favour of the cause.

Yours truly
Ponkoj Sharma
Advertising professional, Delhi