Editor,
This concerns the article titled ‘The education policy gap in Arunachal’, dated 27 April, 2026. Most of the observations made by the author were noteworthy and to be deliberated upon. However, a few of them lacked merit and substance, and I would like to provide an alternative perspective.
# On the recent trained graduate teachers (TGTs) and primary teachers (PRTs) recruitment initiation for the Bhoti subject:
At the very outset, it is my duty to inform that Bhoti or ‘Bodyig’ is not a language, but rather a script typically used for writing languages such as Tibetan, Ladhaki, Dzongkha (the Bhutanese language) and Sikkimese. It has its roots in the ancient Brahmi script, the same parent script through which Devanagri (script for writing Sanskrit, Hindi, Nepali, Marathi) has been derived.
A few communities of our state – the Monpas, the Sherdukpens, the Sartangs, the Nahs, the Membas, the Khambas and the Meyors of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Shi-Yomi, Upper Siang and Anjaw districts – predominantly practice Tibetan Buddhism. For these communities, their religious tradition is deeply interwoven with all aspects of life, including social norms and values, making separation nearly impossible and, above all, their holy texts and scriptures are written in the Bhoti script. It is in this socio-cultural context that the primacy of offering Bhoti as a school subject to the young generation has to be viewed. It also aligns with the vision of National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) to preserve indigenous cultures through integration of tribal wisdom and local practices into the curricula.
The Bhoti script in itself does not lead to any intelligible language in the context of our state. Therefore, as a part of school curriculum, it neither unfavourably places any language of Arunachal Pradesh against the rest of its languages, nor does it lead to any linguistic disparity.
# On the recent German and Japanese language training initiative by the Department of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship:
The esteemed author presented the recent initiative to facilitate overseas employment – foreign language training being its integral part – as a case of government’s misplaced priority, citing non-regularisation of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) teachers as the core argument.
It is pertinent to note that the regularisation of the contractual teachers under the SSA, serving diligently for over two decades now, rightfully deserve their dues in career progression and also attaining a respectable and a dignified socioeconomic status in the process. It is non-negotiable and must be at the heart of the government’s education reform measures.
Having said that, it is also equally not justified to adversely pitch an outstanding contention – or any issues for that matter – against the meritorious young girls and boys who might just have a shot at making big in life, for themselves and their families. Think about it. Those young professionals would be ambassadors of our state; their hard work and success would only pave way for even more of others to follow, and the remittances they would be sending back home would greatly help the families financially.
The learned author also presented the initiative as akin to ‘export of human capital’. It is but a well known fact that the youth unemployment is a huge concern in Arunachal (at about 19.9% in 2025, as per the Periodic Labour Force Survey data. Simply put, roughly 20 out of 100 young people, aged 15 to 29 years, or one in five youths of Arunachal, seeking employment, did not have a job during the survey period, ie, 2025). Currently, our state is just not capable enough to generate adequate jobs for its employment seeking youths. Also, the flight of human capital from our state have been happening for quite some time now; the ‘job mela’ programmes of the government, for example, are meant to employ our talents in industries and sectors situated in other parts of the country. So, the ‘export of human capital’, if at all, are not motivated by individual choices or governmental deliberations, but rather directed by the present socioeconomic reality of our state.
I would also like to take this opportunity to highlight a few notable initiatives of the state government with regard to preservation of indigenous languages.
In accordance with the NEP 2020, the government of Arunachal in recent times has approved 23 constitutionally notified indigenous tribal languages/dialects as the third language options in schools. These include Nyishi, Tagin, Galo (with ‘Gallo Ennam’ script), Idu-Mishmi, Kaman-Mishmi, Tangsa, Taraon and Tai-Khampti. Some of these are in the course of seeing the light of day with textbooks’ development in process. Also, as part of the tribal and third language under NEP 2020, the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) had conducted training for 696 teachers in 14 indigenous languages in August 2025. This is just a case in point to suggest that the government does not intend to discriminate or favour any of the indigenous languages against the rest.
Please be advised that the undersigned is in no capacity associated to the current dispensation nor an advocate of their policies. Nonetheless, credit must be acknowledged wherever due, and conversely, with prudent, due diligence and with responsibility express criticism constructively wherever deemed necessary.
In conclusion, I would like to borrow a quote by Oprah Winfrey, which was published on this very daily the same day, under the ‘Thought of the day’ section: “Education is the key to unlocking the world, a passport to freedom”. The said ‘education’ could come in various shades of languages, be it Nyishi, Galo, Tai Khampti, Tangsa, Singhpho, Tutsa, German, Japanese or an ancient script called Bhoti.
Passang Tsering,
Mon Tawang