Guwahati: From the academic year 2023–2024, Bodo will be introduced as the primary language of teaching for Higher Secondary Arts courses, as per a notification from the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).

 Assam Higher Secondary Education Council in its release said that institutions willing to offer a Bodo medium of instruction to students are required to intimate it immediately.

"It is hereby announced to all parties concerned that the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council has decided to implement Bodo Medium of Instruction in addition to the existing medium of instruction, initially in Arts Stream, from the academic session 2023–24," AHSEC stated in an order released on Friday.

The Bodo language has been adopted as a medium of instruction for the following subjects: History, Geography, Education, Logic and Philosophy, Economics, Political Science, Environmental Education, Mathematics, and Swadesh Adhyayan.

With this, institutions that wish to provide instruction in the Bodo language are asked to inform the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council about their plans, the notification read.Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu also informed about the decision of Assam Higher Secondary Education Council through a tweet.

"From 2023–2024, the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC) will begin offering BODO as a medium of instruction for HS Arts courses. The minister stated in the tweet that institutions intending to offer students instruction in Bodo must notify AHSEC right away.

What is Bodo: The Bodo medium of instruction refers to the use of the Bodo language as the primary language of instruction in schools. The Bodo language is primarily spoken by the Bodo people, an indigenous community residing in the northeastern region of India, mainly in the states of Assam, West Bengal, and Meghalaya.

In some schools located in areas with a significant Bodo-speaking population, the medium of instruction is Bodo, meaning that subjects such as mathematics, science, social studies, and other academic disciplines are taught in the Bodo language. This approach aims to preserve and promote the Bodo language and culture, and it facilitates effective communication and learning for students whose first language is Bodo.

However, it's important to note that the medium of instruction can vary across different schools and regions. While Bodo medium schools exist, there are also schools where the medium of instruction is predominantly English or the regional language of the area. The choice of the medium of instruction depends on various factors, including government policies, community preferences, and the availability of resources.