Trouble prevailed in the Boxanagar Higher Secondary School in Sepahijala District of Tripura on Tuesday over writing answer scripts in English or Hindi, instead of Bengali, during an examination. The agitating students blocked the road in protest.
The School was a Bengali Medium School for 12 years and after it was brought under Tripura Government’s ambitious Mission Vidyajyoti Scheme, the medium was changed to English from Bengali. This caused resentment and a section of the students blocked the Boxanagar-Sonamura national highway demanding that they would be allowed to write answer scripts in Bengali.
The agitated students voiced their concerns regarding the mandate under the Mission Vidyajyoti scheme, which requires them to write exams in either “English” or “Hindi.” They argued that the scheme has created difficulties for them as they are accustomed to studying in the Bengali medium. Writing answers in “English” or “Hindi” is proving to be a challenge for them.
Until recently, Boxanagar HS school operated as a “Bengali” medium school for the past 12 years. However, with the implementation of the Mission Vidyajyoti scheme, the school has been abruptly converted into an “English” medium institution.
The students urged the concerned school authorities to intervene in the matter and requested that they be allowed to write their examinations in the “Bengali” language, as they are more proficient in it than in “English.”
In response to the road blockade caused by the protest, the school headmaster, Sadananda Debbarma, along with local leaders and the police from Kalamcherra police station, promptly arrived at the scene to clear the road and address the situation.
After discussions with the State Education Officer, the headmaster assured the students that they would be permitted to write their examinations in the “Bengali” language, alleviating the students’ concerns. Subsequently, the agitated students withdrew their blockade, allowing traffic to flow smoothly again.