JAIPUR: Rajasthan education department has directed a govt school in Jaipur offering Urdu as a third language to suspend classes in the subject and introduce Sanskrit as an option.
The February 10 order to Mahatma Gandhi Govt School (RAC Battalion) states that the decision was based on a letter addressed to the department from the office of Jai Narayan Meena, special assistant to education minister Madan Dilawar.
“The minister has ordered the creation of Sanskrit teachers’ posts and close down Urdu (classes). Therefore, make sure to send the complete proposal for opening Sanskrit as a third language in your school to this office,” the order states. Meena didn’t respond to texts and calls from TOI, which has a copy of the directive.
Dilawar’s OSD Satish Gupta said the order was issued because not enough students in that school had Urdu as their third language to justify teachers being deployed full-time.
Amid protests by the teachers, the education minister’s media coordinator claimed Thursday that no such order was issued on Dilawar’s instructions.