A five-member ministerial panel formed to review language options for the upcoming Jharkhand Teacher Eligibility Test (JTET) failed to reach a consensus on including Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Angika, pushing the final decision to Chief Minister Hemant Soren.
Panel Divided Over Language Inclusion
A committee member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the panel was divided. “Urban development and housing department minister Sudivya Kumar and excise minister Yogendra Prasad opposed the inclusion, saying the languages in concern are not native to Jharkhand. Ministers Deepika Pandey Singh, Radha Krishana Kishore and Sanjay Prasad Yadav were in favour of the inclusion,” the member said.
“The members of the panel gave their suggestions over inclusion of the languages during the meeting today,” Kishore said.
Proposal to Expand Panel
Kishore said Sudivya proposed expanding the panel to include ministers from tribal and minority committees. “It is the chief minister’s prerogative to expand the panel. If the CM expands the panel, then next meeting will be convened, otherwise today’s was the last meeting,” Kishore said. He further said that the committee would submit a report of members’ suggestions to the CM “based on which he will take the final call.”
Background of the Controversy
The panel was constituted earlier this month amid dissent within the governing coalition over the exclusion of Magahi, Angika, Bhojpuri and other languages from the current JTET framework. Minister Deepika Pandey Singh met Soren in April and sought inclusion of Angika, Santhali, Magahi, Maithali, Kudmali and Kurukh in JTET.
