Kathmandu, May 20

The Language Commission chaired by Lav Dev Awasthi, has not got full shape even almost a year after it was formed. The commission was formed on September 8 last year.

The government is supposed to name representatives from all seven provinces in the country. Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Shankar Nayak said the government did not name other representatives in the commission mainly because it had not yet completed groundwork for the same.

Awasthi said he expected the government to name other representatives in the commission as soon as possible.

“Although the government is yet to name other members in the commission, I have not stopped my work. I am doing what I can but inputs  of as many people as possible is certainly better,” he said.

He added that the commission had been trying to fix criteria to be fulfilled for the recognition of the official language and make recommendation to the government for the same.

Awasthi said criteria would be based on scientific data and facts and the commission also wanted to use the academic work done by various universities on languages.

The commission has already prepared a master plan detailing its time duration for four major tasks that it is supposed to accomplish in five years.

The commission is also mandated to recommend measures to be adopted for the protection, promotion and development of languages, to measure the level of development of mother tongue and make suggestions on the potentiality of their use in education.

The commission is also planning to interact with newly elected office bearers of the local levels so as to sensitise people about their right relating to language.

The government formed the Language Commission responding to the demands of Madhesi and Janajati forces who want  multi-language policy.