Masters in Tamil now to get you seat in Archeology course; Palaniswami thanks PM Modi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on October 9 thanked PM Narendra Modi for including Masters degree in 'Tamil' language as one of the minimum qualification criteria to secure admission in two-year Post-graduate Diploma in Archaeology in Noida's Pt Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology. Taking to Twitter, he wrote that he is thankful to PM Modi for the immediate action on his request to add Tamil in the minimum qualification criteria to pursue an Archaeology course. 

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Tamil Nadu CM thanks PM Modi

Recently, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), under the Union Culture Ministry had published an advertisement regarding the two-year Post-graduate diploma course for the 2020-22 session at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Institute of Archaeology. In order to enroll in this course, Masters degrees in several languages such as Sanskrit was the minimum eligibility criteria. 
Highlighting that the Tamil language was not included in the list, CM Palaniswami had urged PM Modi on October 8 to direct ASI to add Tamil in the list. As a response to the request, the central Government included Master's degree in Tamil now. 

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CM Palaniswami said, "The advertisement has prescribed the minimum qualification criteria as a Masters degree in Sanskrit, Pali, Prakrit, Arabic or Persian among others."

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Citing the advertisement listing Pali, Prakrit, Arabic, or Persian too under the classical language category alongside Sanskrit, Palaniswami pointed out that among the listed languages, only Sanskrit was declared a classical language in 2005 by the Centre. "Tamil, which was the first language in India officially recognised as a classical language in 2004, has been completely ignored (in the admission process)," he added. 

Considering such facts and to make the admission process more inclusive, Palaniswami urged Modi to direct the ASI to suitably amend its guidelines and advertisement as well to also include a Master's degree in the Tamil language as one of the minimum qualifications for admission to the PG Diploma in Archaeology at the institute. 

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(With ANI inputs)