Meghalaya Board of Seconday Education office in Shillong

Shillong, Nov. 5: The Meghalaya Board of School Education today maintained that students at the higher secondary level have been given the freedom to choose a modern Indian language (MIL) as a “compulsory elective subject” and not only as an “optional subject”.

While English would continue to remain a “compulsory subject”, and not a “compulsory elective subject”, the modern Indian languages — Khasi, Garo, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Nepali and Mizo — or Alternative English have been removed from the category of “compulsory subjects” and made into “compulsory elective subject”.

Earlier, English, MIL or Alternative English were “compulsory subjects” where students had to attain the minimum qualifying marks. This scheme had applied to all higher secondary students belonging to the arts, science and commerce streams. But as change is the only constant in the universe, the board wanted to offer “liberty” to the students in choosing subjects.

Perhaps by making the modern Indian languages a “compulsory elective subject”, the board wanted to provide more room for those who wish to study any of the languages in depth, and at the same time, unburden those students who wish to pursue other subjects in a vigorous manner.

Speaking to reporters today while clarifying the board’s stand on Khasi language, board executive chairman E.P. Kharbhih said, “Nowhere in any of the notifications of the board has it been mentioned that the subject (Khasi) was removed from the course of studies. But the students were given to choose MIL as a compulsory elective subject, and not only as an optional subject as done earlier.”

Kharbhih said this move had “elevated the MIL subject status from an optional to a compulsory elective subject”. The clarification came after various groups raised a clamour against the board in relation to Khasi language.

Students appearing in the arts, science and commerce exams would have to appear in five subjects for 500 marks. This includes English, a compulsory paper of 100 marks, and any four elective papers, which carry 100 marks each. A student may also offer one additional elective subject as the sixth subject.

According to Kharbhih, the change was introduced in order to allow students to have more choice to decide their subjects of interest, and which are job-oriented from the list of newly introduced subjects.

He said all heads of institutions were informed of the board’s proposal to change the existing structure and scheme of studies for the Higher Secondary School Leaving Certificate (HSSLC) examinations. It clearly elucidated that out of five subjects, English would remain compulsory and MIL/Alternative English may be taken up as an elective subject.

According to the new scheme, for instance, in the arts stream, there are 16 subjects including English as a compulsory subject and the MIL languages and subjects like economics, political science, statistics, anthropology, and others.

Eight other languages (English, Khasi, Garo, Assamese, Bengali, Hindi, Nepali, and Mizo) have been included as elective languages.