📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Naveen Patnaik
Education
Odisha CM Commits Full Support for Santali Language and Ol Chiki Script under NEP 2020
✍️ Pragativadi
🗓 04 Oct 2026, 02:02 AM
👁 10
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced that the state will fully back the Santali language and its Ol Chiki script in line with the National Education Policy 2020.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, speaking at a press briefing in Bhubaneswar, affirmed the Odisha government's commitment to promote the Santali language and its indigenous Ol Chiki script as part of the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The administration plans to integrate Santali as a medium of instruction in schools located in tribal districts, develop textbooks in Ol Chiki, and provide specialized training for teachers to handle the script effectively.
By endorsing Santali under NEP 2020, the state aims to preserve the linguistic heritage of the Santal community, improve educational outcomes for tribal students, and align with the central government's emphasis on mother‑tongue based learning.
The move also signals broader efforts to strengthen cultural inclusion across Odisha's education system, ensuring that tribal languages receive institutional support comparable to mainstream languages.
The administration plans to integrate Santali as a medium of instruction in schools located in tribal districts, develop textbooks in Ol Chiki, and provide specialized training for teachers to handle the script effectively.
By endorsing Santali under NEP 2020, the state aims to preserve the linguistic heritage of the Santal community, improve educational outcomes for tribal students, and align with the central government's emphasis on mother‑tongue based learning.
The move also signals broader efforts to strengthen cultural inclusion across Odisha's education system, ensuring that tribal languages receive institutional support comparable to mainstream languages.