The Jharkhand state government has constituted a five-member high-powered ministerial committee to review and recommend the inclusion of regional and local languages for the Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET). This decision comes amid growing dissent within the ruling coalition, particularly from Congress ministers, over the exclusion of languages such as Magahi, Angika, Bhojpuri, and others from the current JTET rules and framework.
Committee Composition and Mandate
According to a notification from the personnel department dated May 5, which was made public on Friday, Finance Minister Radha Krishna Kishore, a senior Congress MLA from Chattarpur, has been appointed as the convener of the committee. Other members include Rural Development Minister Deepika Pandey Singh (Congress), Urban Development Minister Sudivya Kumar (JMM), Drinking Water and Sanitation Minister Yogendra Prasad (JMM), and Labour Minister Sanjay Yadav (RJD). The notification states, "The panel is tasked with studying district-wise linguistic demographics and recommend to the government for inclusion/deletion for further action at the earliest." The School Education and Literacy Department will serve as the nodal agency, and the committee is expected to submit its report promptly.
Background of the Dispute
On April 28, the Hemant Soren-led cabinet approved the new JTET rules after they failed to pass earlier in the month due to objections from both Kishore and Pandey. Kishore was absent from the April 28 meeting due to health issues. Expressing her displeasure, Pandey had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on April 15, demanding the inclusion of Angika, Santhali, Magahi, Maithili, Kudmali, and Kurukh languages in JTET. She emphasized, "In districts like Godda within Santhal Pargana, there is a huge population of Angika and Santhali speakers. Their inclusion is vital to ensure the participation of local youths in JTET."
Historical Context
This is not the first time the Soren government has faced challenges over language issues. In 2022, the state witnessed widespread protests, particularly in Dhanbad and Bokaro, after Bhojpuri and Magahi were removed from the list of regional languages for district-level competitive exams. The agitation forced the government to reconsider its "locals first" policy, which critics argued was being used to allegedly marginalize certain linguistic groups.
Current JTET Process
The Jharkhand Academic Council (JAC), which conducts JTET, began inviting applications from April 21 for the test, though the exam dates have not yet been announced. The application window remains open until May 21. This development underscores the ongoing tensions within the ruling coalition and the government's attempt to address linguistic diversity in the state's education system.
