Kashmiri Language Union Urges for the Inclusion of Kashmiri Language in Schools Across Chenab Valley

The Kashmiri Language Union has submitted a memorandum to the Hon’ble Education Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Miss Sakeena Itoo, who holds the portfolios for Health and Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education, and Social Welfare, calling for the promotion, strengthening, and institutionalization of the Kashmiri language across educational institutions in the region. The appeal emphasizes the importance of Kashmiri as a key part of Jammu and Kashmir’s cultural and linguistic heritage, advocating for its inclusion in school curricula and the recruitment of qualified teachers.

The memorandum, a copy of which The Chenab Times possesses, calls for the provision of Kashmiri language education in line with constitutional rights, specifically under Article 350A, which mandates that children from linguistic minority communities receive instruction in their mother tongue. Kashmiri, being one of the 22 officially recognized languages in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution, qualifies for such educational provisions. 

The memorandum also aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which encourages mother-tongue instruction in early education for better cognitive development and cultural preservation. “We urge that Kashmiri be integrated into the school curriculum as a medium of instruction in accordance with the NEP’s emphasis on multilingualism and regional language promotion,” the Union’s statement read.

A major point raised in the memorandum is the need for Kashmiri to be taught as a compulsory subject in grades 9 and 10, as per Order 333, to preserve cultural identity and instill pride in Kashmiri-speaking students. While Kashmiri is taught in some schools in the Kashmir Division, the Union highlights that less than 20 schools in Chenab Valley currently offer Kashmiri as an optional subject, as per The Chenab Times. The Union calls for the inclusion of Kashmiri in all higher secondary schools in the region, which are located in areas with significant Kashmiri-speaking populations, including Doda, Ramban, and Kishtwar.

In addition to these demands, the Union emphasizes the need for expansion of Kashmiri language education to regions outside Kashmir, such as Doda, Poonch, Rajouri, and Kishtwar, where there are sizable Kashmiri-speaking communities. According to the Union, approximately 47.03% of the population in these districts speak Kashmiri, further highlighting the need for educational provisions to preserve the language across the Chenab Valley.

Another key demand from the Union is addressing the gap between secondary and college-level education in Kashmiri. The Union points out that students often face difficulties in pursuing higher education in Kashmiri due to the lack of consistent language instruction at the higher secondary level. Closing this gap, they argue, will enable students to pursue careers in fields like literature, teaching, journalism, and translation, and help preserve the language and culture for future generations.

The Union also calls for the recruitment of qualified Kashmiri language teachers to address the shortage of trained educators. They propose a scheme similar to Rehbar-e-Zaban to recruit teachers and improve the quality of Kashmiri language education.

In their memorandum, the Kashmiri Language Union appeals to the Education Minister to consider these suggestions as a step toward preserving the Kashmiri language and culture. “The survival of our language is crucial for the survival of our heritage,” they said. The Union hopes the Education Minister will take swift action to implement these changes, ensuring the language is taught in schools across the region and that the cultural identity of Kashmiri-speaking communities is protected.

In a related letter to MLA Mehraj Malik, the Union also sought his support in raising this issue in the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly, emphasizing the critical importance of Kashmiri language education for the community’s cultural and educational development.

With the growing demand for Kashmiri language education, the Kashmiri Language Union remains hopeful that the government will take decisive steps to secure the future of the language in the region’s schools, ensuring that it continues to thrive for generations to come.