By Abdul Basith MA, TwoCircles.net,
Kozhikode: Calicut University though have departments for foreign languages like Russian, still lacks an Urdu department. The University have decided to make a demand under its 12th plan before the govt to start an Urdu dept, said Syndicate members KA Siraj and TP Ashrafali. In Kerala, at present Sanskrit University is the lone institution having Urdu dept.
Talking to TCN, Riyaz Ahammed, retired Farook College Urdu lecturer and now Principal at Koothuparambu MES College opined that it was only after ET Muhammed Basheer’s tenure as the Educational minister of Kerala, the traditional languages like Urdu, Hindi, Arabic and Malayalam gained importance, until then with the lack of students most Universities in Kerala were reluctant to promote such courses.
“Now there are chances that the UGC might grant the University with funds to start an Urdu department. So to ensure and make use of this fund, University has deployed a commission with me and KA Siraj as members and we are studying in to the details regarding the formation of an Urdu department here”, said Riyaz Ahammed
Though central govt and UGC had allocated grants and funds for nurturing Urdu language, these are often spent on other departments.
The north Indian based Former Vice Chancellors of the University – Iqbal Hassnain and Anvar Jahan Suberi – had earlier made a few attempts on this regard. Lastly when the CPIM syndicate was ruling, the Varsity budget did allocate funds to form an Urdu dept, later the syndicate members themselves were up against the decision.
In Kerala, Farook College under Calicut University and Brennen College under Kannur University are the only two institutions having recognised Urdu departments.
The language now seems like being confined to the second language text books of schools and colleges, especially in the south Indian states. The language though now not widely used by Muslims in Kerala, has its due relevance because a lot among those Islamic books including Hadith interpretations were written in Urdu. There are many patriotic songs written in this language, which inspired a lot among those freedom fighters, who fought British colonial desires.
The demand to study this language has been high since times as there are lots of applicants for courses like Adeebe Fazil. The negligent approach towards starting the department well indicates the conspiracies against the language. As there are very few degree and PG Urdu courses under the Varsity; the Urdu board of studies are far comfortable without even holding meetings on a regular basis. And for degree students Urdu is taught only as a second language.
Now a situation has reached that, only the Afghan students doing their degree in different colleges under the Calicut University are opting for Urdu as their second language.