As part of the International Mother Language Day, colleges and universities in Rajasthan will organise programmes in local languages. To encourage students in using Rajasthani Language, private, government-aided and government colleges and universities in the state will organise debate, essay and speech competitions. International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on February 21.
Rajasthan Higher Education Minister Bhanwar Singh Bhati said that the mother tongue is the most reliable medium of expression. It is through the use of the mother tongue, the Higher Education Minister said, that the personality, social and cultural identity of a person is formed. Efforts are being made by the Rajasthan Government to take the rich cultural heritage and pride of Rajasthani language to every section of the society, the minister added.
Mr Bhati also said that many development works are being done by the state government to encourage Rajasthani language and to get the language constitutionally recognised. The Rajasthan Legislative Assembly passed a resolution in 2013 to include Rajasthani language in the schedule of the Indian Constitution.
International Mother Language Day
International Mother Language Day recognizes that languages and multilingualism can advance inclusion, and the Sustainable Development Goals' focus on leaving no one behind, a UN statement read.
This year's observance is a call on policymakers, educators and teachers, parents and families to scale up their commitment to multilingual education, and inclusion in education to advance education recovery in the context of COVID-19, it added.