NEW DELHI: The Union ministry of education informed Parliament on Wednesday that it does not plan to impose any language on any state under the three-language formula of the National Education Policy (NEP). "No language to be imposed on any state under the three-language formula, languages learned by children to be choices of states and students," the education ministry stated during a session in the Rajya Sabha.
This declaration comes amid a growing disagreement between the Union government and the Tamil Nadu state government regarding the implementation of the NEP. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has been vocal in accusing the Union government of imposing Hindi, refusing to adopt the three-language framework suggested by the NEP. The state's rejection of this policy has reignited a long-standing debate concerning language use in education.
Tamil Nadu's resistance to adopting the three-language policy under NEP 2020 has evolved from concerns that the policy favors Hindi over regional languages. Chief Minister Stalin fears that accepting this formula may dilute the state’s linguistic identity and autonomy. The central government, however, maintains that NEP promotes multilingualism and allows flexibility in language education.
Union Education Minister Sukanta Majumdar reinforced this stance, stating, "There will be greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any state." His remarks clarified that under the NEP, the choice of languages learned by students is left to the individual states and follows the premise that at least two of the selected languages must be of Indian origin.
A significant point of contention arose when the central government withheld ₹2,152 crore originally allocated for Tamil Nadu’s Samagra Shiksha scheme, citing the state’s refusal to adopt the NEP framework. Historically, Tamil Nadu has opposed the three-language policy preferring a two-language policy that centers on Tamil and English in schools.
The three-language policy proposed under NEP 2020 differs significantly from its predecessor established in 1968, which mandated the inclusion of Hindi in education systems across various states. The earlier approach pressured non-Hindi-speaking states to integrate Hindi, whereas the NEP claims to offer increased flexibility with emphasis on linguistic diversity.
Research promoting the multilingual capacity of students supports the NEP’s framework. Majumdar highlighted that "research clearly shows that children pick up languages extremely quickly between the ages of 2 and 8 and that multilingualism has great cognitive benefits to young students," emphasizing the importance of early language exposure. The NEP aims to tailor language learning to children's primary languages while encouraging bilingual education from foundational stages.
Furthermore, the Union ministry seeks to facilitate multilingualism across educational institutions by providing high-quality textbooks in various mother tongues. To bolster this initiative, the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) rolled out digital books in 104 regional languages and dialects in 2024, paving the way for enhanced learning materials for students in their native tongues.
Certain states have proactively embraced initiatives aligned with NEP 2020. For instance, in 2023, Andhra Pradesh introduced bilingual textbooks in Telugu and English, while Assam rolled out bilingual textbooks for Science and Math curricula in English, Assamese, Bodo, and Bengali. These advancements signify a shift toward greater inclusivity in language education.
However, Tamil Nadu's traditional approach still stands firm, with the state government arguing that the three-language policy undermines its linguistic heritage. The Centre, on the other hand, asserts that rather than imposing a single language, the policy is designed to empower regions to choose languages that reflect their cultural identity.
In conclusion, while the central government maintains that the NEP ensures no language is forced upon any state, the prevailing tensions with Tamil Nadu highlight the complexities and sensitivities surrounding language education in India. As the NEP aims to encourage multilingualism, its reception across various states necessitates balance and dialogue to address the concerns of all stakeholders.
