((GFX Added))Jaipur: The office of Governor Haribhau Bagde issued a written directive Tuesday to 11 state-funded universities, instructing them to establish ‘Rajasthani Language Study Centres’ as soon as possible.The initiative comes amid an ongoing hunger strike by student representative Shubham Rewar, who is advocating for the creation of a dedicated Rajasthani language department at the University of Rajasthan.The move, ostensibly, also comes in response to criticism from the opposition Congress regarding an earlier directive by Governor Bagde to set up ‘Classical Marathi Language Study Centres’ in the state’s universities.Reacting to the latest directive from the Governor’s office, Rewar told TOI, “My hunger strike will continue as my primary demand is to start a department for Rajasthani language, not just a study centre. If there is no clarity on which dialect of Rajasthani will be given prominence, then the govt must make an appropriate policy to that end to take further decisions”.Rewar’s hunger strike entered its sixth day Tuesday.Tuesday’s letter from the Secretary of the Governor emphasised the significance of the Rajasthani language as a key element of regional identity. “Rajasthani is a major language spoken across vast regions of Rajasthan and represents the local culture. In this context, ‘Rajasthani Language Study Centres’ are to be established in major universities of the state,” the letter stated.The directive was sent to all state-funded universities, including the University of Rajasthan in Jaipur, Jai Narain Vyas University in Jodhpur and Mohanlal Sukhadia University in Udaipur, among others.The letter highlighted the importance of adhering to the National Education Policy, which prioritises education in the mother tongue. It urged vice-chancellors to promptly initiate the establishment of Rajasthani study centres and to keep the secretariat informed of progress in this regard.The demand for Rajasthani language study gained momentum following criticism from the Congress regarding the Governor’s previous directive on teaching classical Marathi in state universities.Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra had condemned the move, saying, “The directive issued by the Governor to teach Marathi in Rajasthan’s universities is not appropriate from a policy perspective. Decisions regarding which languages or subjects are to be taught in universities and schools should rest with the govt within a democratic framework, not with the Lok Bhavan”.Dotasra had further said that “the Rajasthani language should be the first to be taught,” advocating for its structure, study, preservation and constitutional recognition.Amid this debate over linguistic priorities, the Jagadguru Ramanandacharya Rajasthan Sanskrit University (JRRSU) in Jaipur recently became the first institution to approve both a Classical Marathi and a Rajasthani Language study centre.GFX- Universities where Rajasthani Language Study Centres to be set up-University of Rajasthan, Jaipur.-Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur.– Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur.-Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati University, Ajmer.-University of Kota, Kota.-Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner.-Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, Kota.-Govind Guru Tribal University, Banswara.-Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Shekhawati University, Sikar.-Maharaja Surajmal Brij University, Bharatpur.-Raj Rishi Bhartrihari Matsya University, Alwar.
