By: Krishnapriya K, a fourth-year student at the National Law Institute University, Bhopal.
On 29th July 2020 the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, rolled out the latest National Education Policy (NEP) introducing a sea of changes in the Indian educational system, thereby replacing the 1986 Policy on Education. The policy underwent various rounds of consultation and vetting before it took its final shape. The work began way back in 2015 when the Ministry for Human Resources and Development put together a Committee chaired by Late Shri T.S.R. Subramanian, former Cabinet Secretary. This Committee for Evolution of the New Education Policy submitted its report in May 2016 which later formed the basis for the Draft NEP, 2016. In June 2017, under the chairmanship of Dr. K Kasturirangan, a ‘Committee for the Draft National Education Policy’ was constituted, which submitted the Draft NEP, 2019. The draft was uploaded to the public domain to invite suggestions and comments. Following this process of consultation, the final NEP was formulated.
The proposed changes to the NEP will assist India in attaining all the targets and goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development which was adopted in 2015. Goal 4 of the Agenda aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” by 2030. The NEP recognizes that rapid changes in science and technology are bound to demote the relevance of the unskilled workforce and further increase the demand for skilled labour with expertise in mathematics, computer science, and data science, in conjunction with multidisciplinary abilities across the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. It strongly vouches for less content in the curriculum and encourages the incorporation of lessons that focus on tapping a child’s critical thinking ability and creativity. The NEP envisions to transform a typical Indian classroom to that of an “experiential, holistic, integrated, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centered, discussion-based, flexible, and enjoyable”[i] one, with the hope of developing sensitive, ethical, rational and compassionate citizens for future India.
The NEP received mixed responses from leaders, experts, academicians and people across the country. However, the most controversial part of the policy has to be the language clause. This article aims to deconstruct NEP with specific reference to its approach towards languages and learning. Further, it will analyse practical challenges posed by the existing educational system and the ways in which India could overcome these roadblocks.
Multilinguistic Approach
Among the many fundamental principles listed in the NEP, it advocates for the promotion of multilingualism and highlights the power of language in teaching and learning. In consonance with this principle, the policy has laid out multiple recommendations and it has emphasised that the proposals are only broad directions and none of it would be mandatory owing to the cultural diversity across and within states and the linguistic diversity within each classroom. The NEP, 2020 aims to steer the Indian schooling system towards a culturally enriching and nationally integrating one by making use of ancient and modern Indian literature, film, and music. If nothing, it wants Indian students to understand the fact that being educated in Indian languages will not reduce their capabilities or chances of employment. It would only widen their awareness, cultural sensitivity, and tolerance, for India is a melting pot of cultures.
Firstly, the NEP proposes that wherever possible the medium of instruction in public and private schools until at least Grade 5 and preferably till Grade 8 and beyond shall be the home language/mother-tongue/local language/regional language. The suggestion has been made with the assumption that children tend to get a better grip on concepts when they are taught the same in their home language/mother tongue. It also assumes that a child’s home language almost always coincides with that of his mother tongue and the language spoken in the local community, save the exception of certain multilingual families. It also proposes that teachers should be encouraged to use a bi-lingual approach with those students whose home language may be different from the medium of instruction. To enable the same, the government has assured that high-quality textbooks will be made available in both English and mother tongue/home language. This is in concurrence with Article 350A of the Indian constitution which states that “it shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within the State to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups”. Previously, the Programme of Action, 1992, under the 1986 NPE has also highlighted the need for a mother tongue-based teaching for linguistic minorities wherein it states that “the need to provide education through the mother tongue, which may be different from a modern Indian language included in the VIII Schedule, is recognised on academic grounds. The Constitution of India recognises, in respect of linguistic minorities, the desirability of providing instruction through the mother tongue for first five years of education (Article 350-A).” In 2005, the National Curriculum Framework argued the same and it reiterated that “an emphasis on the recognition of children’s mother tongues, including tribal languages, is the best medium of instruction.… multilingual proficiency… is possible only if learning builds on sound language pedagogy in the mother tongue.” However, implementing the same is a daunting task due to the administrative and financial challenges that come with it.
The NEP further goes on to state that children pick up languages with extreme ease between the ages of 2 and 8 and that multilingualism has proven benefits in developing the cognitive abilities of a child. For the same reason, the NEP aims to expose children to multiple languages through reading, writing, and other interactive modes, beginning from the foundations with greater emphasis on their mother tongue. It has mentioned that the Central and State governments will be investing a great deal of resources in technology for learning and to train teachers in all languages mentioned in the 8th Schedule of the constitution and other regional languages. It has also proposed a model wherein states may enter into bilateral agreements to employ a large number of teachers from each other to promote the 3- language formula. The 3-language formula which was first introduced in the 1968 education policy, grants state governments and students the freedom to choose the three languages that they wish to learn. As this formula promotes multilingualism and upholds linguistic diversity, the 2020 NEP has approved the continued implementation of the same. However, it is mandated that two out of the three languages must be a native one. The policy has also granted the flexibility to students to shift from one language to another in Grade 6 or 7.
To enhance one’s understanding on languages and regional cultures and to serve as an ice breaker in their lives, the NEP has proposed that every student in the country would have to participate in the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ initiative wherein students will be made to prepare projects or partake in fun activities on the topic ‘The Languages of India’ whenever possible during Grade 6-8. This is strictly proposed to be a fun activity and does not involve any sort of formal assessment. It goes on to suggest that children should be encouraged to make projects on various languages, including regional and tribal languages, to understand their influences on each other, discuss major literary works, movies, common vocabularies and usages in order to uplift each other and ensure that an everlasting spirit of brotherhood is instilled in them.
It further emphasises the relevance of classical languages and the need to appreciate their beauty in all forms of work. It discusses the Sanskrit knowledge systems that comprise heavy volumes of written work on mathematics, philosophy, grammar, music, politics, medicine, architecture, metallurgy, drama, poetry, storytelling, and more. The NEP lays out that classical languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Pali, Persian, and Prakrit, will be positively made available in schools as an option under three language formula. In addition to English and Indian languages, students will be provided with the option to learn foreign languages such as Korean, Japanese, Thai, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Russian, starting from secondary level. The government has assured that all efforts will be made to ensure that the teaching of these languages will be based on an experiential-learning pedagogy. As a final note in the language section of the policy, it states that Indian Sign Language (ISL) will be standardised across the country and local sign languages will also be taught wherever possible and relevant. It mentions that the state government and the national government will create study materials keeping in mind the needs of students with hearing impairment.
Challenges ahead
Numerous studies by experts have repeatedly proved that primary learning through native/mother tongue develops the cognitive abilities of a child and eases the process of acquiring basic literacy skills and understanding complex concepts compared to those who are taught in their second language. Agreed, that primary lessons in mother tongue build a better foundation for children, however, this should not serve as a hindrance in aiding and mentoring children from economically and socially disadvantaged groups in English. If ever such inaction were to occur on part of the teachers or government, it would end up marginalising the already marginalised. Students from private schools/upper-class families who can afford private tuitions in English or have exposure to the language, owing to their family backgrounds, tend to hold an edge over the marginalised when it comes to employability. Hence, an efficient model of teaching should be introduced to equip those children from disadvantaged groups in English.
Another major roadblock is the shortage of teachers who are proficient in the student’s mother tongue. A major example of this could be the schools in North Eastern regions where each classroom has a mix of students who speak multiple underrepresented languages. In such a case, it is a daunting task for the teachers to teach and the students to learn. While training and allotting teachers to schools, such situations should be kept in mind. Further, the lack of reading and teaching materials in local/regional languages, especially tribal languages, is an issue in many anganwadis and schools.
With increasing investments in educational start-ups, this is an opportunity for them to coordinate with governments to make multilingual learning a reality for students and teachers across the country. In order to ease learning and to concur with the NEP, start-ups should be provided with adequate government support to create books and other teaching-learning materials in all minority and official languages. It is important to recruit and employ relevant community members who are also speakers of that particular language to ensure that full justice is done in making of such learning resources. This is also a good solution to create an additional job market for people from these minority communities. We also need a comprehensive set of guidelines and schemes in partnership with these visionary start-ups to build and innovate assistive devices and appropriate technology-based tools as well as language-appropriate teaching-learning materials for disabled students.
As was done for the 1986 policy[ii], a progress report of the implementation of the 2020 NEP must be released within 2 years for a fair evaluation of the initiatives undertaken by the governments in terms of investment and training. While the committee’s efforts show that considerable thought has gone into resolving the issues relating to the language of instruction in schools, however, as pointed out, some pertinent matters have been overlooked and must be reconsidered for the benefit of all students, especially those that hail from underserved communities.
[i] National Education Policy, 2020, available at https://www.mhrd.gov.in/sites/upload_files/mhrd/files/NEP_Final_English_0.pdf.
[ii] Implementation of National Policy on Education-1986, A Progress Report, 1988, available at http://14.139.60.153/bitstream/123456789/2050/1/IMPLEMENTATION%20OF%20NATIONAL%20POLICY%20ON%20EDUCATION-1986_G-1698.pdf.
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