Number of students opting for Tulu language in schools drastically decline in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts

Tulu, introduced as optional language in Dakshina Kannada & Udupi schools, has lost patronage with number of schools & students opting for it drastically declining. No students in Udupi opted for it in last & this academic year. In high school level, number of students opting for it reduced by 50%. Govt. allowed schools to teach Tulu from Class VI to X in 2010. Self-motivated students, teachers & schools are keeping it alive. Issues related to appointment of Tulu teachers & paying salary need to be addressed. Lack of dedication by those leading academy & students considering career options & job prospects are also contributing to decline.

More than a decade since Tulu was introduced as the third optional language in schools of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, the language lost patronage with the number of schools offering the language and students opting for it drastically coming down.

A case in point is students opting for it in class VI. According to the statistics collected by the Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy, 139 students opted for the language only in three schools – all in Dakshina Kannada — during 2022-23. Their number further declined to 101 students again in the same three schools for 2023-24. No students in Udupi district opted for Tulu in any of the primary schools consecutively in the last and this academic year.

In high school level, the number of students who opted for Tulu in Class VIII was at 648 during 2021-22 and 647 in 2022-23. It came down by 50% to 324 students for 2023-24. Accordingly, the number of schools offering the language also reduced from 31 to 27 schools and further to 19 schools this year.

The State government had, through an order on March 26, 2010, allowed schools in the twin districts to teach Tulu from Class VI to X. The first batch of 18 Class X students with Tulu as the third optional language passed out in 2015. It was followed by 25 students in 2016, 283 students in 2017, and 417 students in 2018. Tulu was introduced in schools when Paltady Ramakrishna Achar was heading the academy.

When contacted, B. Chandrahas Rai, who served as the Registrar of the academy for a decade from September 2009 to September 2019 when the initiative was taken forward, told The Hindu that it is a matter of concern that Tulu is losing its sheen in schools. “I remember 45 plus schools was offering Tulu when I left the academy,” he said.

“The present admission statistics indicate that Tulu has remained in schools only due to self-motivated students, teachers and schools,” he said adding that if schools, teachers and students are not motivated, Tulu may not remain in many schools.

“It appears that the academy in the recent years has lost connection with the schools and ignored to motivate both the students and schools,” he said adding that there should have been more than 2,000 students studying Tulu by now.