The Assam Cabinet on Friday approved the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Bill, 2024, to recognize Manipuri as an Associate Official Language in four districts of the state. The districts are – Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Hojai.
“The Bill seeks to amend the Assam Official Language Act, 1960 by inserting a new Section 5B, which will provide for the recognition of Manipuri language as an Associate Official Language in the four districts”, an official statement said.
The decision was taken in the interest of protecting, preserving and promoting the cultural, social, linguistic identity and heritage of the Manipuri people living in Assam, the statement further added.
The Cabinet also decided to introduce six tribal languages as mediums of instruction in the foundational stage of school education to protect the interests of tribal communities and in line with the provisions of the National Education Policy, 2020.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who chaired the Cabinet meeting, said that six tribal languages–Rabba, Karbi, Tiwa, Deori and Dimasa–would be introduced as mediums of instruction (MoI) in the foundational stage of school education and subsequently shift to a regional language as MoI.
