Karnataka governor asks State to “re-examine” switch from marks to grades for third language in SSLC

The Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has called for a comprehensive examination of concerns over the State government’s decision to award only grades, without marks, for the third language in the SSLC examination, following a representation highlighting its potential impact on academic engagement and linguistic diversity.

In a communication to state Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, Secretary to Governor R. Prabhu Shankar forwarded a representation submitted by the Association for Preservation of Local Languages, Bengaluru, which raised apprehensions about the policy’s implications for students, teachers and the broader education system.

“I am directed to forward herewith a copy of a representation submitted by the Association for Preservation of Local Languages, Bengaluru, which has been addressed to the Governor of Karnataka, concerning the recent decision to award only grades, without including marks, for the third language in the SSLC examination,” the letter stated.

The representation underscored the importance of the third language in promoting linguistic diversity, awareness and intellectual development among students, while cautioning that a shift to a grading-only system may inadvertently diminish the academic importance of the subject and affect students’ motivation to engage seriously with it.

It further reflected concerns among teachers, parents and educationists regarding the long-term implications of the move on the quality and inclusiveness of school education in the state.

“The Governor has taken note of the issues raised in the representation and desired that the matter be examined comprehensively, keeping in view its academic and administrative aspects across the education sector,” the communication said.

The Chief Secretary has been requested to examine the matter in consultation with the Department of School Education and other concerned authorities and “take such action as deemed appropriate in the larger interest of students and the State’s educational objectives,” it added.