Tripura govt will write to CBSE to allow Kokborok in Roman script in exams: CM

Agartala: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Tuesday said his government will write to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) urging it to allow students to write Kokborok papers in Roman script.

He gave the assurance while replying to Leader of Opposition Animesh Debbarma's demand for the government's stand on the introduction of Roman script for Kokborok, the major tribal language in the state, during Zero Hour in the assembly.

Currently, Kokborok in Bengali script is taught in state government educational institutions, including 97 Vidyajyoti schools in which the CBSE curriculum has been introduced.

Around 5,000 students who have studied in various English medium schools are facing problems in the CBSE examinations as they did not learn Bengali, Debbarma said.

The CM, who also holds the education portfolio, said the government has already constituted a three-member committee led by former MLA Atul Debbarma to look into the matter of selection of script for Kokborok.

"Let the committee submit its findings, then we will take a decision on the script for Kokborok," he said, adding that the state lacks books in Roman script as well as trained teachers for preparing questions and evaluating answers in the script.

However, the opposition leader, who was not satisfied with the CM's reply, said the CBSE, which is set to start its examination on February 15, will not wait till the committee submits its report.

"Therefore, I urge the chief minister to write a letter to the CBSE to allow Roman script for Kokborok," he said.

Saha then assured the assembly that the government would write to the CBSE, requesting it to allow students of Kokborok to write their answers in Roman script.

Kokborok, the mother tongue of most of the tribes of the northeastern state, does not have its own script.