[dropcap]I[/dropcap]t is a right move from the part of the Central government to include a ‘comprehensive chapter’ on North East people and their lifestyle in the all-India school syllabus. Media reports said the Central government is of the ‘view that the lack of awareness of the people of other parts of the country about the North East region and its people is one of the major reasons for the racial attacks and a move to incorporate a comprehensive chapter on the region in the all-India school syllabus is under active consideration of the Human Resource Development (HRD) Ministry’.
The Central government has been taking up measures to address the frequent attack cases on the North East people in the metros but so far no visible effect is felt. The attacks continue unabated. The Government needs to take up more vigorous and immediate measures in this regard.Coming to the question of inclusion of ‘a comprehensive chapter’ on North East people and their lifestyle in the all-India school syllabus, this measure if carried out, is going to be a long term one. There will not be immediate effect of it. However, it is a good move which will kill two birds with one stone. That is, the mainland Indians will come to know more about the North East people and their lifestyle and in the process the culture of the people confining in the region is promoted. The Human Resource Development should implement it without further delay. It has been a long overdue that things about the North East people have not been placed in the right platform. All the misgivings and wrong notions about the region and its people have also been attributed to the lackadaisical approach of the Central government pertaining to the region. Had the government introduced suited policies and measures things would have been finer today.
One sad thing is that the government becomes responsive only after things are pushed to the limit. The decision of the Human Resource Development to have a comprehensive chapter in the all-India school syllabus is a response to the demands of the various organizations from the region. North East Students’ Organisation (NESO) has submitted representations after representations to the successive Central governments in this regard.
