The Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) has introduced a hybrid language policy, allowing Class IX students to study general mathematics and general science in English while keeping their other subjects in a vernacular language, board officials announced on Tuesday.
Alignment with National Education Policy
This initiative aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP). A senior official of the board stated that the same dual-medium option will be extended to this batch of Class IX students when they advance to Class X in the next academic session. It will continue for both Class IX and X in the future.
Benefits for Students
ASSEB officials noted that this policy will help students understand English-medium instruction and write in English before pursuing higher studies in science and mathematics. It brings relaxation to the board's previous "one student-one medium" policy.
"Assamese or other vernacular medium students can also write the answers of general mathematics and general science papers in English. This will help as terminologies of these two subjects are universal and students prefer English while pursuing higher education in these two subjects," said a senior ASSEB official. In the state's degree colleges, even students from vernacular medium schools prefer to write science subjects in English.
Official Notification
ASSEB issued a notification stating, "There is no bar for students of Class IX to study general maths and general science in English medium, even if he/she is studying the remaining subjects in another medium, provided the school has the facility to teach these two subjects in English medium."
As the registration process for Class IX for the academic session 2026-27 is nearly complete, the board clarified that no change is required in the registration process or the registration card for students of other mediums who opt to study these two subjects in English.
"The mention of any medium for a student during registration of Class IX will not be a problem in the future. When such students become eligible to appear for the HSLC examination, their subject-wise medium will be captured for proper evaluation of the answer script," ASSEB added.
