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NEET 2017-18: Why We Need To Unite Against The Arbitrary Exclusion of Urdu

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The year 2013 saw an illogical exclusion of Urdu language as a medium for NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test); similar to what the ongoing case of Urdu exclusion from NEET as a medium is all about. Though, it seems the government has failed to check through the history (how petitions were made and Urdu was included again).

But the question here is –why in the first place is Urdu being targeted? Does it have anything to do with the language being much of a medium used for the education of a large section of Muslims of this country? If not, why is such an arbitrary decision being repeated? Let’s think of sound answers to it.

As reported by many of the news portals and mediums, the Students Islamic Organisation (SIO) of India has dragged in the ministry of Health and HRD for such a bigoted decision.

Currently, NEET structured to be held on May 7th this year, is being conducted via ten languages including Hindi, English, Gujarati, Marathi, Oriya, Bengali, Assamese, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada.

Surprisingly, the seventh most spoken language –Gujarati and twelfth most spoken language –Assamese is a medium option for the examination, but the ‘sixth’ most spoken language –Urdu is being shown the back door. Reason –unknown! Accountability –Unauthorised!

As mentioned by SIO of India, Urdu is listed in schedule VIII of the Indian Constitution. Also, exclusion of the particular language would be an utter violation of Article 14 and 21 of our Constitution.

Bushra (name changed), a bright student of Urdu Medium, an MBBS aspirant, shed tears while speaking of her shattering dreams because of the very decision coming in her way.

Not one but a large section of the Muslim society is dependent on Urdu as a medium for education. Excluding Urdu would straightaway mean excluding a large ‘could-be’ part from our economy.

This case of language exclusion targeted on Urdu is no case of a ‘particular’ section bias, though it clearly is, it is much of a reflection of bias practiced on every minority section today.

We, across the country will have to unite to ignite together. If it is about Urdu today, it was about Dalits yesterday, and it would be about ‘US’ tomorrow. Those fine lines of divisions have to be erased with bricks of unity against all the walls of bigotry, jingoism, fascism, misogyny and crime. Let us not for once forget, we are alive till we are united –that’s a boon if we take it, a curse if we don’t!

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