Further, the right to receive education in one’s own mother-tongue or native language is recognized by several international instruments. Under the provision of the Declaration on the Rights of Persons belonging National or ethnic, Religious and Linguistic minorities (1992), States are required to take appropriate measures so that, whenever possible, persons belonging to minorities may have adequate opportunities to learn their mother-tongue or to have instructions in their mother-tongue.

But “Right to Education for All” is grossly violated in Odisha. At present Odia is the medium of instruction in the elementary level in western Odisha. But Odia is not the mother-tongue of children of western Odisha, it is Kosali. But there’s no education in Kosali for the children of western Odisha. No education in mother-tongue is education denied. Kosali children are deprived of their fundamental rights. And development from this region has been hijacked.

Kosali is used in day-to-day life by two crore people of western Odisha out of the total 4.2 crore population in the state, according to the census of 2011. Western Odisha encompasses ten contiguous districts forming a strong linguistic identity and cultural homogeneity. For the people of western Odisha it is not just a language but a way of life that propel progresses and harmony in the region.

Western Odisha contains 40-50 per cent of the state’s population. Odia language is not used in day-to-day communication in western Odisha. But medium of instruction is Odia in the schools; that’s why dropout rate is very high in rural and Adivasi areas. This is the main reason of low literacy rate in the region. Kosali is the dominant means of communication throughout western Odisha. Though there are a few tribal languages, but all tribal languages have functional capability in Kosaliand not in Odia. Using Odia as the medium of instruction is throwing challenges for the students of western Odisha and blocking their progress. Overall marks of students from western Odisha are lower than the students of coastal Odisha and students of western Odisha fail in both 10th and 10+2 examinations. Hence, education in Kosali language is the key to development of western Odisha.

On 30th July 2012, the then chief secretary of Odisha directed Odisha Primary Education Programme Authority (OPEPA),to start mother tongue-based primary education in 10 languages -Munda, Santhali, Kissan, Oraon, Kui, Koya, Bonda, Juanga and Saura - of the state but there is no Kosali.

Further, OPEPA published an advertisement on dated 25/5/2014 in Sambad daily about recruitment of total 295 Sikshyaa Sahaayak/Sahaayikaa for different languages of different districts like Binjhal (Bargarh), Santhali& Ho(Balasore), Kui(Gajpati), Dibai (Malkangiri), Bhunjia (Nuapada), Pahadi Bhunjia and Kharia (Sundergarh), but again there is no Kosali.

People of western Odisha have been deprived of their basic cultural right, right of mother-tongue which connects them with their economy, socio-cultural system and political right. Perhaps this is the same mentality where Sudras were checked by Kshyatriyas and Brahmins from education and Sambhu was killed by Ramachandra while reading Veda. For the same reason, Dronacharya asked for the thumb of Ekalavya; fearing he may challenge the prince. (IPA Service)