Hyderabad: Urdu has been given the status of the second official language in Telangana, but there is no structure for teaching Urdu and Arabic in educational institutions, as a result, Muslim students are moving away from these two languages.
Shortage of Urdu lecturers in government junior and degree colleges and shortage of Urdu medium teachers in schools has persisted for the past several years and the government has been asserting placements in Urdu medium vacancies from time to time. Urdu lecturers have been hired as guest faculty in some government colleges, while teachers are not available for students studying Arabic.
Several major government degree colleges in the city, including Falaknuma, City College and Begumpet Colleges, have no arrangement for Arabic lecturers. Students who want to study Arabic and Urdu subjects as optional are advised to study Hindi, Telugu or Sanskrit.
The Junior Colleges comes under the Board of Intermediate Education, while the Degree Colleges are controlled by the University. The authorities should pay immediate attention to ensure the presence of Urdu and Arabic lecturers in government and private junior and degree colleges.
It is reported that around 150 students in a well known private degree college in Bashirbagh have taken Arabic as an optional subject but the college management is refusing to appoint a lecturer. The college does not have branches in Hyderabad and parents have complained that students are being pressured to learn Sanskrit, Telugu or Hindi. According to the sources, the students are ready to arrange Arabic lecturer at their own expenses, but college is not allowing it.
Another well known college in Narayanguda terminated the services of an Arabic lecturer ignoring the feasibility of minority students. Minority students studying in various non-minority junior and degree colleges in the city are facing difficulties in learning Urdu and Arabic.
We often complain about the lack of interested of the new generation in learning Urdu language, but no attention is paid for the arrangement of lecturer in Government and private colleges. Apart from the government, it is the responsibility of the community to ensure the presence of Arabic and Urdu lecturers in government and non-minority junior and degree colleges. If Arabic and Urdu education is provided in non-minority colleges, the new generation will not be deprived of mother tongue and Arabic.
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