GUWAHATI, March 27 � AGP MLA Keshab Mahanta today called upon the State government to make both Assamese and English compulsory for jobs in APSC and at the Secretariat offices.
Moving a Call Attention Motion in the Legislative Assembly, Mahanta said that before 2009 there used to be compulsory Assamese language papers in the exams for vacancies in APSC and for Junior Assistant and other posts. But it was removed by a Gazette Notification in 2009. He said that lack of proper knowledge of Assamese by officers and other staff hampers proper governance.
�The number of people who can speak Assamese, but cannot read or write the language, is increasing. There should be at least six months of training to impart proper knowledge of Assamese for all State government staff,� Mahanta said, and added that Assamese should again be made compulsory for APSC and other jobs.
�The government should again amend the rules. Now it should not be Assamese or English. Rather it should be Assamese and English, as both languages are necessary,� Mahanta said.
Replying to the Call Attention Motion, Minister for Administrative Reforms and Training Dr Bhumidhar Barman said that the issue has come to the attention of the government.
He admitted that use of Assamese has declined due to proliferation of English medium schools over the years.
