Beginning this academic year, the Telangana government has mandated Telugu as a second language for students at CBSE, ICSE, IB, and other board-affiliated schools in grades 1 through 10.
The School Education Department recently issued a circular to this effect, as part of the state government's progressive implementation of the Telangana (Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Telugu in Schools) Act 2018 from 2018-19. Telugu was made obligatory from Class 1 to 10 under the Act, regardless of the Board with which the schools are associated.
“The violation of rules to implement Telugu as compulsory subject from class I-X from the academic year 2022-23 onwards for all management and different Board affiliated schools (CBSE, ICSE, IB, and other Boards) in Telangana state will be viewed seriously and necessary actions will be taken as per the Act and guidelines given by the Telangana State Govt,” the circular said.
The government has created two Telugu textbooks, one for Telugu-speaking kids and the other for children who do not speak Telugu as their first language. Noncompliance with the rule, according to the state administration, will result in serious consequences for the NOC granted to those schools.
