Bhubaneswar, Jan. 28: Nirliptananda Saraswati Maharaj, the vice-president of Divine Life Society, today said that students should be imparted education in the English language.

"Though our focus should be always on the mother tongue, to make our boys compete at the international level, they should be imparted education in English language," said the monk.

Announcing that Sivananda Centenary Boys' High School in Khandagiri will switch to English medium under CBSE curriculum from 2017-18, he said: "We have noticed parents are sending their kids to English-medium schools. But at the same time, the same people are arguing that the students should be taught in Odia medium. This dual stand cannot be accepted. We have to be very straightforward in our approach," he said.

He further said: "Humans connect through languages. It is, therefore, important that our children should have control over the language of the country as well as the world at large. India is now on the global platform, where the world is shrinking at a fast pace. At this juncture, the students need to be better prepared for the challenges of the world."

Nirliptananda hailed the state government's move to set up 100 model schools at the block level where education will be imparted in the English medium.

"If we don't teach the students in English, they will be left behind. The students need to move outside the state for which they should have a command over the English language," he said.

Stressing the need for secular education along with moral and spiritual education, he said: "Secular education helps students to be able to work towards a prosperous future while moral and spiritual education helps them evolve into better human beings, contributing towards a prosperous society and the human race at large."

Nirliptananda is also the president of the Sivananda Centenary Boys' High School.