Dear Goanetters, Some persons are asking to speak/ converse in Konkni; as if that is any criteria to decide on the medium of Instruction in Schools, at whatever level. I am not shy of talking/writing in Konkni; rather keep away from doing so as I am not very literate in Konkni; However I am more literate in Hindi. Why?? I did all of my primary and high school (then 11 years leading to matriculation) in Bombay with English as the medium of instruction. Then after India became so-called Independent; (still not independent; in fact more dependent) a lot of changes came to pass by way of subjects. school texts etc. One of the changes was the cumpulsory teaching/ learning of Hindi at the secondary level, until passing out. but was not made a cumpulsory subject for the passing out Board exam. This was good then, but at the expense of the regional language. This is, as 'complex' as India is!! The point I wish to make here is that Only Hindi, the supposedly national language was made cumpulsory; not Marathi the regional language or mt of Maharastrians.and of course there was no Konkni. U see that India, constituted as at present is a very diverse country, united with very diverse sub cultures and languages. And these variations cannot be compartmentalised, nor should they be; as the whole country is ONE. So how do say Bengalis/ Tamils/Keralites etc.learn, thru what Tongue whilst in Goa?? The majority would opt for learning in the most convenient way for them. Thus arose a lot of problems in Bombay then, when the Chavan Govt. (I think) introduced medium of instruction Marathi for everyone. At once there was a hue and cry about this silly stupid Order. All English medium schools and Parents of these schools, united under the newly formed Swatantra Party then, (as an alternative to the INC.) They went to court and the High Court then declared that mother tongue as Medium of Instruction cannot be made cumpulsory, by Govt. decree. It is the Parents that have the Right to Decide the Medium of Instruction for their 'minor' children and not some Govt. rules. It was also declared that the mother tongue be defined as the language spoken in the Home. So who decides the language spoken in the home? or who does not have the right to speak whatever language they like at home? All the Parents decided their spoken language at home was the English language; and so the staus quo remained; the absolute right of the Parents. And more importantly declared that the Govt. of the Day has the obligation to aid/ fund these schools like any other. Besides these legal/ sensible considerations; there is the consideration of merit in medium of instruction language. All Indian languages are under developed even today when compared to the leading languages in our world. So who would not use a modern highly developed and international world language like English (a Ticket to Heaven) as medium of instruction for their children, more so when it is possible and readily available in India that abounds in English parlance and literature. The Times of India, English edition is the largest selling English Daily in the world. So it is and in every way an Indian Language. Whoever says it is alien and or foreign and etc. are all "Idiots of the highest order". By all means teach regional language and Hindi in schools but not at the cost of English learning. It is important to learn English from grade one; so as to be proficient early enough for future learning, keping in mind that all higher laerning in India is in English. Anything else smacks of 'apartheid and segregation' in the learning sphere. India is infamously notorious for this. If Indians do not change their way of looking at the world, then they are primitive and would remain that way. Who is, one of them, who does not want to develop and catch up with the world? Or is it that only the elite want to develop and keep others down in segregated lowly schools, to keep doing your servile work?? The present Goa Govt. decision is the best and correct one, on Medium of Instruction. Where English is medium, there is a cumpulsory subject of Konkni or Marathi as second language and vice versa. Where Konkni or some other Indian language is the medium, then Engish must be learnt from grade one. Any person or group, who does not agree to this is 'A Communal bastard'. Live and Let live! Down with Casteism, Communalism, Segregation and Apartheid, in Indian Life! Anyone not agreeing to this is an affront to modern Indians, and should therefore be asked to go drown themselves with a granite stone tied around their necks. Nascy Caldeira.