Inside India’s language conundrum, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) directed affiliated schools to implement the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 three-language formula from Class 6 for the 2026-27 academic session.
• The NEP 2020 mandates that at least two of the three languages studied must be native Indian languages (Bhartiya Bhasha).
• This directive led many English-medium schools to discontinue foreign languages like French and German as the third language, often replacing them with Sanskrit.
• Following a backlash, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan clarified that students in Classes 7, 8, and 9 already studying foreign languages can continue them until Class 10, but Class 6 students must adhere to the new rule.
• The decision has raised concerns among parents, students, foreign language teachers, and diplomatic circles, particularly from German and French embassies.

Detailed Insights:

• The NEP 2020 three-language formula differs from the National Policy on Education (1968), which focused on Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language.
• CBSE classifies English as a foreign language, despite its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, which lists 22 official languages.
• Schools face logistical challenges in offering a diverse range of native Indian languages, often defaulting to Sanskrit due to teacher availability.
• Learning foreign languages like French and German is perceived by many as crucial for career prospects, higher education abroad, and skilled migration opportunities.
• Diplomatic missions from countries like Germany and France have expressed concerns, citing their significant investments in language teaching infrastructure in India.
• Examinations like Diplôme d’Études en Langue Française (DELF) and Diplôme Approfondi de Langue Française (DALF) are internationally recognized and popular among Indian students.
• States like Tamil Nadu have historically resisted the three-language formula, maintaining a two-language policy, exemplified by the Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act, 2006.
• Telangana also has a mandatory language law, the Telangana (Compulsory Teaching and Learning of Telugu in Schools) Act, 2018, which faced implementation challenges.
• Data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) indicates that 61.6% of Indian schools teach three languages, but challenges persist in teacher training and material availability for regional languages.

Key Concepts Involved:

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A comprehensive framework for education in India, aiming to transform the education system from early childhood to higher education.
• Three-Language Formula: An educational policy promoting multilingualism by mandating the study of three languages, with specific requirements for native Indian languages under NEP 2020.
• Eighth Schedule of the Constitution: A list of 22 languages recognized as official languages of the Republic of India, as per Articles 344(1) and 351 of the Constitution.
• Bhartiya Bhasha: A term used in the NEP 2020 to refer to native Indian languages, emphasizing their promotion in the education system.