Tripura Students Protest Against TBSE’s Script Decision, Block Major Routes

In a significant move, the Tripura students’ body blocked a national highway and rail routes on Monday, protesting the Tripura Board of Secondary Education’s (TBSE) decision. The controversy centers around the TBSE’s refusal to allow tribal students to use the Roman script for answering Kokborak language papers. The Tipra Indigenous Students Federation (TISF), the student wing of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), Tripura’s main opposition party, announced an indefinite blockade of the key National Highway-8 and rail routes in response to the decision.

Kokborak is the language of the Borok people, also known as Tripuris, and the protesting students are demanding the right to write their answer scripts in Roman script instead of Bengali. This move underscores the linguistic and cultural tensions in the state, highlighting the students’ desire to use a script they are more comfortable with for their examinations.

The issue has not only led to disruptions in transportation but has also resonated within the Tripura Assembly, sparking debates and discussions. With the TBSE scheduled to conduct the Higher Secondary and Secondary Examinations from March 1, involving over 5,000 tribal students, the outcome of this protest could have significant implications for the educational and cultural landscape of Tripura.

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