As a result, schools offering education in Nepali language and established long back in the area to promote the language are struggling to operate with the ever decreasing number of students.

Ram Chhetri of the West Bengal Board of Secondary Schools, which monitors schools providing classes in Nepali language in the area, said that around half-a-dozen schools offering classes in Neplai language up to higher secondary levels are operating in Siliguri, Dooars, Naxalbari, Panitanki and Jalpaiguri at present. They currently have about 10,000 students altogether, against the 20,000 earlier recorded.

“The number of students in the schools has drastically decreased of late. Some schools offering education in Nepali language in Siliguri, now, also have low number of students,” he said. Chhetri added that if this is to continue then schools offering education in Nepali language will all shut down.

DB Rai, principal of Nepali Kalyan Higher Secondary School (NKHSS) in Siliguri, said the attraction towards English language is seen as the major problem. The school was established in 1976 with an aim to preserve Nepali language. School teacher Sharad Chhetri said that even parents are reluctant to send their children to schools offering classes in Nepali language in belief that the language has little global relevance.

Some authorities, however, blame the government for being apathetic towards preserving Nepali language in the area. Sukrak Diyali, teacher of NKHSS, said that apart from regular shortage of textbooks in Nepali language, in some cases question papers for Nepali exams are surprisingly printed in Bengali and English languages.

With student crunch, some schools providing education in Nepali language earlier has started offering classes in English while others are planning to follow suit.