Parents says the change places an unfair burden on children who have not previously studied the language and could affect their academic performance.
Published Apr 05, 2025 | 7:52 PM ⚊ Updated Apr 05, 2025 | 7:53 PM
Concerned parents take out the Freedom to Choose Language protest in Hyderabad
Synopsis: Parents of non-Telugu speaking students in Telangana are protesting the state government’s decision to make Telugu a compulsory subject in all schools, including CBSE, ICSE, and IB schools, arguing it unfairly burdens non-Telugu-speaking students. At a demonstration held on 5 April in Hyderabad, parents demanded the right to choose their children’s second language, warning that the sudden change could negatively affect academic performance.
Parents in Telangana are protesting against the state government’s decision to make Telugu a compulsory subject in all schools, regardless of the education board.
On 25 February, the Department of School Education issued a memo stating that Telugu would be mandatory across CBSE, ICSE, IB, and state board schools in the state.
As part of the transition, the government proposed replacing the current Singidi curriculum with a reportedly simpler version titled Vennela to help students adjust.
But the move has drawn strong opposition, particularly from from parents, especially those from non-Telugu-speaking backgrounds.
#Telangana: The “Freedom to Choose Language” protest has begun. With slogans like “we are the country’s future give us the right to choose,” parents demand the government rescind the circular mandating Telugu across schools in the state from academic year 2025-26. pic.twitter.com/nz2Yjoof2T
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) April 5, 2025
On 5 April, a group of parents gathered at Dharna Chowk in Hyderabad under the banner “Freedom to Choose Language”.
Holding placards in Telugu, Hindi, and English, they called for the right to choose their children’s second language in school.
Many of the protesters said the change places an unfair burden on children who have not previously studied the language and could affect their academic performance.
The group raised slogans such as “The kids are the future, give them the right to choose,” and warned that the new policy risks putting students at a disadvantage in crucial school years.
“I’m basically from Rajasthan but have stayed in Hyderabad since 2008. I have two daughters in the sixth and ninth grades,” 38-year-old Himanshu Bapna told South First.
“In 2018, the Government of Telangana passed a GO mandating Telugu across CBSE, ICSE, IB and other boards. However, it did not bear fruit,” he explained.
“However, the current government intends to implement the mandate across schools. This poses a problem as many people in Hyderabad are not locals of Telangana, being a cosmopolitan city. It will be hard on the kids to suddenly learn Telugu after learning Hindi or some other language all these years,” he continued.
“They have to begin right from the letters, and before they can learn that fully, they’ll have to appear for their boards, which could diminish their marks,” he said. “I am not against the implementation of Telugu. I’m just saying that it should be phased. Maybe begin with class 1.”
Jyothi Jaiswal, a 40-year-old mother of a child in Grade 5, echoed similar concerns.
“I was born and brought up in Mumbai and moved to Hyderabad 13 years ago. I feel it is necessary for me to learn Telugu, but I think mandating its implementation in schools will reflect poorly on the children’s academics,” she said.
“We are not against any language, but would prefer if we had the right to choose for our children,” she stated. “In Maharashtra, Marathi was made compulsory in school since class 3. I learnt Hindi, Marathi, and Sanskrit, and I try to teach my child the same to stay connected with my roots,” she stated.
“I want the government to ensure similar weightage for both Telugu and Hindi for our kids,” she said. However, she held that she was unsure if other regional languages receive similar weightage in North Indian states.
“We have no problem with learning Telugu. It is necessary to learn the language of a state. It helps you make connections and gives you a leg up, but I also want my child to not lose Hindi at the cost of this phenomenon in Southern States,” she explained.
With the academic year 2025–26 approaching, the parents say they are prepared to escalate their protests. They have warned of larger demonstrations and possible legal action if the policy is not reconsidered.
(Edited by Dese Gowda)
