CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES
Confucius Institutes are basically Educational partnership between colleges and universities in China and those of the other countries. Confucius Institute was founded in the year 2004 and the first CI was established in Seol (South Korea). The stated aim of these institutes is to promote Chinese language and culture, support local Chinese teachings globally and facilitate cultural exchanges. These institutes are funded by HANBAN which is affiliated with Chinese Ministry Of Education.
GLOBAL STATUS OF CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES
- As of 2019 550 CIs are operating globally and their aim is to reach the mark of 1000 CIs by the end of 2020 .
- CIs are operating in almost 162 countries with higher concentration in United States, Japan and South Korea .
- The Hanban website lists 3 CIs( University Of Mumbai, Vellore Institute of Technology and Lovely professional University) in India.
CONTROVERSIES
- China has always been an ambitious Nation and having an aim to be superpower in the world competing US and other countries. Due to this the World has a suspicious vision towards China. All over the world these institutes are criticized due to their influence on academic freedom and interference with free speech on campuses and even to spy on students.
- An article in New York Times quoted Arthur Waldron(an american historian) saying that the key issue is academic independence, “once you have a Confucius institute on campus, you have second source of opinions and authority that is ultimately answerable to the Chinese Communist Party and which is not subject to scholarly review”.
- For every nation national security and integrity is foremost hence every nation has started reviewing CIs and some have suspended negotiations too. For example in September 2014, University of Chicago suspended its negotiations, Recently Sweden ended agreement, On 13th August 2020 US Department of State designated the headquarters of CIs in US as a”Foreign Mission Of China”.
INDIA’S STAND OVER CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES
- On july 29, 2020 India’s Ministry Of Education sent letter to several institution seeking information about activities of their CIs and Chinese language training Center.
- As we know 3 CIs are operating in India apart from these 3 Confucius classes are also being operated in School of Chinese language Kolkata, Bharathiyar University and in KR Mangalam University.
- New Education Policy has introduced in India and Mandarin(Chinese language) has been dropped from the list of foreign languages that can be taught in schools under new curriculum.
- China has raised concern over the reviewing of CIs stating that these are being done due to the ongoing border tensions but India’s Ministry Of External Affairs has responded that India had reviewed CIs earlier and this is part of its rules for how foreign educational institutions can operate in India.
As our scriptures taught us the mantra of “VASUDHAIV KUTUMBAKAM” we are committed to that but at the same time we are concerned to our national security and integrity. Any foreign language and institution is welcomed but not at the cost of national security. As a family the World need to know each other’s culture and language for the better understanding and mutual relationship but any hidden agenda in form of culture and language need to be stopped and should not be tolerated at all.
BY-MANOJ KUNWAR
SOURCES- The Hindu, Wikipedia.