After protest, AHSEC replaces Assamese instruction with Bengali meant for HS candidates in Barak

March 16: The HS Final Year Examination conducted by Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) began throughout the state on 15 March, 2022. In this connection, AHSEC sent a common bilingual banner to be put up at the entrance of each Exam Centre. The banner contained instructions to be followed by the candidates during the examination.

However, it was discerned that the banner contained common instructions in Assamese and English language to be put up at the entrance of each examination centre in the state including those in the three districts of Barak Valley. This led to resentment among many. Bengali being the official language of Barak Valley,demand was raised from various quarters to either use only Bengali and English in the banners meant for the exam centres in Barak Valley or to use all these three languages.

Apart from the teachers, the issue was also taken up by Barak Upottaka Banga Sahitya O Sanskriti Sammelan. The Chairman and Secretary of AHSEC was at once informed that the Language Act categorically specified the use of Bengali in all official directives to be used in the three districts of Barak Valley.

Finally, acting on the grievances lodged, Controller of Examinations of Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) sent an e-mail on Wednesday to all the exam centre in-charges wherein he wrote, “I am enclosing herewith the template written in Bengali and English for your wide publicity in front of the Examination Centre. Necessary expenditure for printing the banner will be borne by the Council. This is for your kind information and necessary action.” Following this, the schools and colleges where the examination is going on printed new banners in Bengali and English in lieu of Assamese and English.