Thank Goodness, at last, better sense has prevailed.

Tamil will not be compulsory for students in Part I in their undergraduste degree course. Earlier, it was decided to make Tamil compulsory in Part 1, but that is not the case now. Students of varsities/ colleges can choose any language. The decision to alter the earlier stand on Tamil language issue would benefit non-Tamil students. It is now enough if they study Tamil paper in Part IV which will be only of class VI level.

In Tamil Nadu, the Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), is mandatory for all universities and colleges from 2008-09 academic year.

There was vehement opposition from several quarters, especially from the autonomous colleges to the State Government's proposal to introduce Tamil as a compulsory language for the first and second year undergraduate students of arts and science colleges. Now, it would be an elective. They can choose Tamil, Hindi, French, Urdu or any such language. There is only one condition. A student who had not studied Tamil in school and had opted a language other than Tamil in the first year of College will have to study Tamil � but only up to the level of Standard VI, and that too as an elective subject. Language paper will not be compulsory for B Com, BBA, and visual communication students.

The Government has also decided that it would not force autonomous colleges to adopt a common syllabus. Better late than never.

The Government deserves praise for not standing on false prestige.