Prakash Javadekar directs CBSE to conduct CTET in all 20 languages

The CBSE is set to approach the Delhi High Court to seek more time to hold the Central Teacher Eligibility Test (CTET) after HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar ordered the school board to conduct the examination in 20 languages.

CTET, passing which is one of the minimum qualifications for appointment as a teacher in a government school, was scheduled for September 16 in 92 cities. With the minister’s directive, the examination, in all likelihood, will have to be postponed, said CBSE sources.

CBSE had announced the examination schedule for this year after the Delhi High Court ordered the board in April to conduct CTET in four months. CTET was last held in September 2016.

The examination notification, which came on May 31, sparked a controversy after applicants pointed out that the language options for CTET this time were limited to English, Hindi and Sanskrit. Political parties in Tamil Nadu dubbed this as an attempt by the Centre to impose Hindi and Sanskrit on the state.

A senior board official said that CBSE had no intention of dropping regional languages.

“We need time for translation. So we decided to do it in two phases. Phase I would have English, Hindi and Sanskrit as language options and Phase 2 would be in remaining languages,” the official said.

“I have already directed CBSE to conduct examination in all 20 languages as was being done earlier,” Javadekar tweeted.
News Source (Indian Express)