Tulu Sahitya Academy to print 500 degree textbooks

The Karnataka Tulu Sahitya Academy will print textbooks for the benefit of Mangalore University undergraduate students who opt for Tulu as an optional subject.

Speaking to DH, Academy president A C Bhandary said that the Academy has ordered for the printing of 500 textbooks for the first two semesters. The textbooks are likely to reach the Academy by Tuesday.

The University had given its nod to introducing Tulu as an optional language for undergraduate students starting with the academic year 2019-20.

Varsity guidelines

The textbooks for the undergraduate courses have been prepared as per the University guidelines under the chairmanship of Prof Shivaram Shetty of the University.

Further, Bhandary said that the Academy will also print textbooks for Class 10 students to cover the shortage of the books as Tulu teachers had informed the Academy of the shortage of textbooks for schoolchildren.

“There is good demand for Tulu as a third language in schools. The state government only supplies textbooks to schools. To meet the demand of the students, the Academy has decided to print the school textbooks as well,” he added.

In 2018-19, a total of 617 students from 34 high schools in undivided Dakshina Kannada – who appeared for SSLC examination – had opted for Tulu as third language. Of the 617 students, 63 scored 100 in Tulu, the president stated.

“The state government had through an order in 2010, allowed schools in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi to teach Tulu a third language from Class 6. The first batch of students with Tulu as third language passed out in 2014-15. There were only 18 of them in the year,” said Bhandari, adding, “In the following years, however, the number of students opting for Tulu increased drastically, with 25 students in 2015-16, 283 students in 2016-17, 417 students in 2017-18 and 617 students in 2018-19.”