Shillong: Community organisations in the Jaintia Hills are pushing for the formal recognition of the Jaintia language and the A-B Jaintia Phonetic Alphabet. The Jaintia National Council and the Jaintia Students’ Union have joined forces to seek their inclusion under the Meghalaya State Language Act. This movement follows the recent decision by the Meghalaya government to elevate Khasi and Garo to official state language status alongside English.
During a joint meeting in Jowai, academics, writers, and community leaders emphasized the need to preserve and promote the language. While some observers categorize Khasi and Jaintia within the same linguistic family, advocates argue that the Jaintia language holds distinct characteristics that warrant independent institutional support.
JNC president Sambormi Lyngdoh stated that the groups have reached a consensus to intensify their efforts. He noted that the A-B Jaintia Phonetic Alphabet already holds a level of formal standing, as the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council approved it during its 2021 budget session and it was subsequently published in the Meghalaya Gazette.
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