The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 brings significant changes to language instruction in schools, emphasizing the mother tongue/local language as the medium of instruction and restructuring the three-language formula. The recent debate around its implementation, especially Tamil Nadu’s resistance, has reignited discussions on language policies in education.
Language Instruction Under NEP 2020
NEP 2020, which replaces the 1986 education policy, states that wherever possible, the medium of instruction in both public and private schools should be the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language at least until Grade 5, preferably till Grade 8 and beyond.
The policy further recommends that the home/local language should continue to be taught as a subject even after Grade 8, wherever possible. The expert committee, led by former ISRO chairman K. Kasturirangan, emphasized that young children learn better in their mother tongue and that multilingualism enhances cognitive abilities.
NEP 2020 notes:
- Children learn languages quickly between ages two and eight, and early exposure to multiple languages benefits cognitive development.
- Bilingual education (mother tongue + English) is encouraged from the Foundational Stage onwards.
For example, in Haryana, anganwadi (pre-school) educators use colorful textbooks with Hindi and English alphabets on the same page to aid learning.
Findings of the All India School Education Survey (AISES)
The Eighth All India School Education Survey (AISES), conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), provides insights into the use of languages in schools.
- 86.62% of schools use the mother tongue as the medium of instruction at the primary level, compared to 92.07% in the previous survey (2002-2009), indicating a decline.
- In rural areas, 87.56% of schools use the mother tongue, while in urban areas, the number is 80.99% (previously 92.39% and 90.39%, respectively).
The survey highlights a gradual shift away from mother tongue instruction, particularly in urban schools.
The Three-Language Formula Under NEP 2020
The three-language formula, first introduced in 1968, required:
- Hindi-speaking states to teach Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language (preferably a South Indian language).
- Non-Hindi-speaking states to teach Hindi, English, and the regional language.
NEP 2020 modifies this approach, allowing for greater flexibility while ensuring no language is imposed on any state. The policy:
- Requires schools to teach at least two Indian languages at the primary and secondary levels.
- Encourages the inclusion of Sanskrit as an option under the three-language formula.
- Recognizes classical languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit as language options.
Challenges in Implementation
Despite its flexibility, implementing the three-language policy has been challenging:
- Tamil Nadu follows a two-language policy (Tamil and English) and has resisted adopting a third language.
- Haryana introduced Tamil as a second language in 1969, but due to a lack of Tamil-speaking students, it was removed in 2010.
- Himachal Pradesh has struggled to find teachers for Telugu and Tamil, making it difficult to offer these languages as options.
Government Efforts to Support Regional Language Education
To promote mother tongue-based learning, NCERT launched digital textbooks in 104 regional languages and dialects in 2024, including:
- Bengali, Khandeshi, Tulu, Ladakhi, Pashto, Bhili, Dogri, and Car Nicobarese.
Several states have introduced bilingual textbooks to facilitate regional language education:
- Assam launched bilingual Science and Maths textbooks in English, Assamese, Bodo, and Bengali.
- Andhra Pradesh introduced bilingual textbooks in Telugu and English in 2023.
Foreign Language Learning in NEP 2020
NEP 2020 also supports foreign language learning at the secondary level, offering options like Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian.
According to CBSE guidelines:
- Students must learn two Indian languages until Class 10.
- In Classes 11 and 12, they can choose one Indian language and one foreign language.
Conclusion
NEP 2020 aims to strengthen multilingual education by promoting mother tongue instruction, flexible language policies, and exposure to multiple languages. However, implementation challenges remain, particularly due to regional resistance, teacher shortages, and curriculum adaptation. The success of the three-language formula will depend on state-level execution and educational resources.
