LANGUAGE POLICY IN INDIA

LEP

Language and Education Policy in India

constitutional basis, three-language formula, mother-tongue instruction, NEP 2020 highlights, special role of English, and implementation challenges.

1. Constitutional Framework

• Official language: Hindi (Devanagari) as the official language of the Union.
• Associate official language: English for central administration, judiciary, and inter-state communication.
• State languages: States may adopt regional languages as official for governance and education.
• Minority rights: Constitutional safeguards require provision of primary education in the mother tongue for linguistic minorities.

2. Three-Language Formula

A longstanding policy recommending that students learn three languages: the mother tongue or regional language, Hindi or another Indian language, and English. Its goals are national integration, preservation of regional identity, and multilingual competence.

3. Mother Tongue / Local Language Instruction

• Early grades are best taught in the child’s mother tongue to build strong cognitive and literacy foundations.
• Policy encourages mother-tongue instruction at primary level with gradual introduction of additional languages.

4. NEP 2020 — Key Language Principles

• Promotes multilingualism and the mother tongue as the preferred medium till Grade 5 (preferably till Grade 8).
• Encourages flexible language choices—no language imposition; local context determines implementation.
• Supports development of reading materials and teacher capacity in Indian languages.
• Calls for balanced approach: strengthen regional languages while allowing English for global access.

5. Special Role of English

• Acts as a link language across states and communities.
• Essential medium for higher education, research, technology and many professions.
• Seen as a language of opportunity—employment, mobility and global participation.
• Policy stance: English is important but should complement rather than replace mother tongue learning.

6. Implementation Challenges

• Uneven adoption of the three-language formula across states.
• Shortage of trained multilingual teachers and bilingual materials.
• Parental preference for English-medium schooling creates inequality.
• Multilingual classrooms with varied learner backgrounds complicate uniform delivery.
• Resource constraints in producing quality regional-language higher-education materials.

7. Conclusion

India’s language and education policy seeks a balance: preserve linguistic diversity and mother-tongue learning while providing access to Hindi and English for national cohesion and global engagement. The focus is multilingual competence, equitable access, and contextual implementation.

Prepared for exams and assignments • Concise, exam-oriented • No external references used