Dumka, Sept. 14: Colleges in Santhal Pargana find themselves in a dilemma.

They have implemented the Persian language as a part of their curriculum, but have no students. On the other hand, despite a demand for Santhali, there are no courses on it at a degree level.

Ravan Murmu and Joseph Soren, who passed their matriculation examination this year were annoyed when they did not have the option of Santhali as a part of their 50 mark matri vasa (mother tongue) in the curriculum of the intermediate classes at A.N. College.

A group of students from Godda Women?s College also recently demonstrated for not having the opportunity to study their mother tongue up to a degree level. ?Since the college has no faculty for Santhali, we are compelled to take 100 marks in Hindi. Otherwise, we would have the opportunity to take 50 marks of Santhali and 50 marks of Hindi. We have a poor command over Hindi and fear of scoring less marks in the examinations,? said Sudamuni Kisku, an intermediate student at the college.

Interestingly, even after Santali obtained the status of Jharkhand?s second language, students have been deprived of the language because of the attitudes of various colleges. Despite the pressure from the state government and with several requests by the Sidhu Kanho Murmu University (SKMU) authorities, the management of the various colleges were not interested in initiating the step of starting the Santhali language up to the tertiary level.

According to the sources of SKMU, the permanent affiliated colleges such as A.N. College, Dumka, Jasidih College, Godda Women?s College and Pathargama College do not have Santhali as a subject in their curriculum.

Sources said the colleges have not taken the state government?s recommendation to start the faculty department. The norms state the colleges must first take the government?s recommendation by issuing a proposal. After receiving the proposal, the state government will provide funds for the new faculty. ?None of the colleges have responded, despite our repeated requests,? said an official of SKMU.

A.N. College already obtained the recommendations for different faculties even for Persian language and employed teachers. However no classes take place, as there are no students for the subject. The college already appointed teachers for the Santhali subject.

The independent MLA from Dumka, Stephen Marandi, who is also a teacher in Santhali faculty in S.P. College, is the secretary of A.N. College.

SKMU, which has 13 constituent colleges, has the facilities to provide degree level Santhali faculty and only S.P. College, Dumka has the resources to provide a course in Santhali at a postgraduate level. ?The affiliated colleges ignore the interests of the tribals,? said Eriction Hasdak, a social worker.