Manipal (The Hindu): Writer Siddalingaiah said on Saturday that it was necessary to have an integrated and uniform education policy in the State.

He was speaking at an interaction programme at a symposium on ‘Injustice and the self in Dalit writing’ organised by the Centre for Cultural History, a division of the Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities (MCPH), here.

Mr. Siddalingaiah, who has served as chairman of the Kannada Book Authority and the Kannada Development Authority, said that most of the lessons in schools now were based on experiences of those from the upper classes.

For instance, a lesson might speak about the experience of eating a ‘sandige’ during Deepavali. But it was only those from the upper classes who know about ‘sandige’ and its taste.

A student coming from lower classes would not have seen a ‘sandige’ or its shape. “He will understand immediately if it is written, ‘we were nearly starving and ate stale food’. If the former is written, the upper class student will come out with flying colours. If the latter is written, then it is the lower class student, who will get a rank,” he said. The education system favoured the upper classes, which was a tragedy. A uniform and integrated education system was the solution to this problem, he said.

Replying to another query, Mr. Siddalingaiah, who was a Member of the Legislative Council for 12 years, said that if persons coming from the background of social movements became politicians and retained their honesty and commitment, their words would carry more weight with officers, Ministers and even the Chief Minister. On the other hand, if they became corrupt, they would not be taken seriously, he said.

Madhava Chippali translated Siddalingaiah’s speech and answers into English for the audience. Nikhil Govind, Head of MCPH, was present.