The forum appeals to the Center to continue teaching French in schools in Puducherry

Treaties signed between India and France during the merger guarantee the teaching of French and the use of the language for administrative purposes. File | Photo credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

The Social Justice Forum has asked the Center and Puducherry government to take measures to protect the French language in Puducherry in the wake of the CBSE’s decision to introduce a trilingual system in all affiliated schools across the country.

In a letter to the Union Education Minister, the forum officials said that the circular to introduce the tri-lingual formula in all schools in the country will adversely affect French language teaching in Puducherry. The new guidelines, which emphasize the teaching of two Indian languages, would deprive Puducherry students of the opportunity to learn French.

As a former French colony, the people of Puducherry have a legal right to learn the French language. Treaties signed between India and France during the merger guarantee the teaching of French and the use of the language for administrative purposes. The two governments should take steps to continue the teaching of the French language in schools in the Union territory, the paper said.

The letter was signed by former minister R. Viswanathan, forum president TN Thanaraman and secretary T. Geethanathan.

Published – 19 May 2026 13:38 IST