International Mother Language Day 2026

International Mother Language Day is observed every year on 21st February to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism across the world. The day highlights the importance of preserving mother tongues and ensuring inclusive education.

For UPSC aspirants, this topic is relevant for GS Paper I (Indian Society), GS Paper II (Education, Constitution), and Essay.

UNESCO declared 21 February as International Mother Language Day in 1999. The day commemorates the 1952 Language Movement in Bangladesh, in which students sacrificed their lives to demand recognition of the Bengali language.

Later, the United Nations General Assembly welcomed the observance and called for the promotion of multilingualism worldwide.

Theme of 2026: “Youth Voices on Multilingual Education”

The 2026 theme highlights the critical role of young people in promoting and sustaining multilingual education.

Led globally by UNESCO, the theme emphasises empowering students and young leaders to shape inclusive education systems that respect linguistic diversity and ensure equitable learning opportunities for all.

Also see: National Youth Day 2026

The observance of 21st February traces its roots to the Language Movement of 1952 in the then East Pakistan (present-day Bangladesh).

• After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, the government declared Urdu as the sole state language, even though the majority of the population spoke Bengali.
• This decision triggered widespread dissatisfaction in East Pakistan, where language was deeply tied to cultural identity and political representation.
• On 21 February 1952, students of the University of Dhaka organised peaceful protests demanding recognition of Bengali as a state language.
• The police opened fire on the demonstrators, killing several students.
• Their sacrifice intensified the movement, and in 1956, Bengali was recognised as one of Pakistan's state languages.

The day later became a powerful global symbol of the struggle for linguistic rights, cultural dignity, and democratic expression. In recognition of this historic movement, UNESCO declared 21st February as International Mother Language Day in 1999 to promote linguistic diversity worldwide.

International Mother Language Day aims to promote respect for linguistic diversity and to safeguard languages as carriers of culture, identity, and knowledge.

Promote Linguistic Diversity: Encourage recognition and celebration of the world’s thousands of languages as valuable cultural assets.

1. Support Multilingual Education: Advocate for education systems that use multiple languages, especially at the primary level, to improve learning outcomes.
2. Encourage Mother Tongue-Based Learning: Promote early childhood education in the mother tongue to strengthen cognitive development and conceptual clarity.
3. Protect Endangered Languages: Raise awareness about languages at risk of extinction and support documentation and revitalisation efforts.
4. Preserve Indigenous Knowledge Systems: Safeguard traditional knowledge, oral histories, folklore, and ecological wisdom embedded in native languages.
5. Promote Social Inclusion and Equality: Ensure linguistic minorities have access to education, governance, and justice in their own languages.
6. Advance Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Recognise language as a tool for achieving quality education (SDG 4), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and peaceful societies (SDG 16).
7. Promote Digital Inclusion of Languages: Encourage the use of local languages in digital platforms, technology, and online education to prevent linguistic marginalisation in the digital age.

A mother language (mother tongue) is the first language a person learns at home during early childhood. It is the language through which a child first understands the world, expresses emotions, and connects with family and community. Here is why the Mother Language is significant: 

• Foundation of early learning
• Helpful in cognitive development
• Cultural preservation
• Medium of emotional expression
• Social inclusion
• Important role in democratic participation
• Builds national integration with diversity
• Protection of linguistic minorities

Also read: Important Tribes in India [UPSC Notes]

“Our ability to reach unity in diversity will be the beauty and the test of our civilisation.”— Mahatma Gandhi

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. It represents culture, history, identity, and social harmony.

• As per the Census of India (2011), the country has over 19,500 mother tongues spoken across different regions.
• To preserve this diversity, 22 languages have been officially recognised under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• India is home to hundreds of tribal and indigenous languages.
• Many of these are endangered due to urbanisation, migration, and lack of formal education in mother tongues. 

Constitutional Provisions Related to Language

The Indian Constitution provides a strong legal framework to protect linguistic diversity while ensuring national unity.

1. Articles 29 & 30 – Cultural and Educational Rights

These articles safeguard the rights of linguistic minorities to conserve their language, script, and culture. They also grant minorities the right to establish and manage educational institutions.

2. Articles 343–351 – Official Language Provisions

These articles deal with:

• Hindi as the official language of the Union
• Continued use of English for official purposes
• Development of Hindi
• Protection of the interests of non-Hindi-speaking states

3. Eighth Schedule

The Eighth Schedule lists 22 recognised languages. Inclusion helps promote these languages in education, administration, and competitive examinations like UPSC.

UNESCO plays a leading global role in protecting linguistic diversity and preserving endangered languages. According to UNESCO estimates, nearly 40% of the 7,000 languages spoken worldwide are at risk of extinction. Many of these languages are spoken by small communities, often without written scripts or formal documentation.

When a language disappears, humanity loses far more than words. Language extinction results in the loss of:

• Indigenous knowledge
• Oral traditions
• Cultural practices
• Biodiversity knowledge systems

UNESCO’s Initiatives

• Promotes mother tongue-based multilingual education.
• Publishes assessments and awareness reports on endangered languages.
• Encourages digital documentation and archiving of vulnerable languages.
• Observes International Mother Language Day (21 February) to promote global awareness.

UNESCO also classifies endangered languages into categories such as vulnerable, definitely endangered, severely endangered, and critically endangered, depending on intergenerational transmission.

The Government of India has taken several steps to preserve and promote linguistic diversity, strengthen mother tongue-based education, and protect endangered languages.

1. National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

• The NEP 2020 recommends that the medium of instruction up to at least Grade 5 (preferably Grade 8) should be in the mother tongue or regional language.
• It promotes multilingualism and aims to improve foundational literacy through local languages.

2. Promotion of Regional Languages in Higher Education

• The government has encouraged technical and professional courses, including engineering and medicine, in Indian languages.
• Institutions like the All India Council for Technical Education have supported engineering education in regional languages.

3. Digital Documentation of Tribal Languages

• Efforts are underway to document and archive endangered tribal languages through digital platforms.
• The protection of tribal culture and language is also supported by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

4. Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL)

• Launched by the Ministry of Education, this scheme aims to document and preserve endangered languages spoken in India.

5. Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL)

• The Central Institute of Indian Languages works on language research, the development of teaching materials, and the preservation of lesser-known languages.

6. Eighth Schedule Expansion Demands

• The government periodically reviews demands for inclusion of more languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.

7. Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat Initiative

• This program promotes cultural and linguistic exchange between states to strengthen national integration through language learning.

8. Promotion of Indian Languages in Digital Governance

• Government portals, mobile apps, and citizen services increasingly provide multilingual interfaces to ensure inclusive access.

9. Bhashini Initiative

• The BHASHINI (National Language Translation Mission) initiative aims to enable easy access to the internet and digital services in Indian languages through AI-based translation and voice technologies.

Also read: Good Governance Day 2025 | UPSC Notes

International Mother Language Day reminds us that language is more than communication; it is identity, culture, and heritage. Protecting linguistic diversity strengthens democracy, inclusivity, and national unity. 

As future administrators, UPSC aspirants must understand the role of language in governance, education, and social justice.