Context:

• The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released several policy documents mandating the introduction of mother tongue-based instruction in foundational and preparatory schooling stages.
• This step aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF), emphasizing multilingualism and early education in the home language.
• However, this policy should be implemented through dialogue, not diktat.

Evolution of Language Policy in Indian Education:

• Key policy documents:
  • Kothari Commission (1964–66)
  • National Policy on Education (1968)
  • Yashpal Committee (1993)
  • National Curriculum Framework (2005)
  • National Education Policy (2020)
  • National Curriculum Framework (2023)
• Common focus: All these frameworks stress on the significance of mother tongue-based early education to enhance conceptual clarity, retention, and emotional security.

Rationale for Mother Tongue-Based Education:

• Empirical evidence:
  • Studies show that learning in the home language in early years increases comprehension, critical thinking, and concept retention.
  • Using an unfamiliar language disconnects the child from lived experiences and hinders engagement.
• Cognitive and emotional benefits: Mother tongue-based education helps overcome language anxiety, improves classroom participation, and bridges home and school learning.

Challenges in Implementation:

• Teacher preparedness:
  • The majority of teachers are trained only in Hindi or English.
  • Lack of pedagogical training for multilingual and mother tongue-based instruction.
  • Difficulty in handling multiple languages without lesson plans or resources.
• Administrative gaps:
  • Absence of clear assessment strategies.
  • Scarcity of quality teaching-learning materials in regional languages.
  • Need for contextual and culturally sensitive curriculum.
• Perception issues:
  • English is perceived as a medium of upward mobility, leading to resistance among parents and educators.
  • For some, mother tongue instruction feels regressive and mismatched with aspirations.

Concerns about Policy Imposition:

• Top-down approach criticised: Policy appears directive rather than consultative.
• Teachers feel overwhelmed: Due to lack of support, especially in heterogeneous English medium schools with diverse student populations.
• Need for community participation: For dialogue and institutional capacity building.

Recommendations and Way Forward:

• Dialogue over diktat:
  • Policy should be implemented through trust, empathy, and gradual integration.
  • Teachers must be given 2–3 years to transition, with ample training, resources, and language mapping tools.
• Curriculum and assessment reforms: Develop robust multilingual teaching strategies. Include oral narratives, local knowledge systems, and differentiated assessments.
• Holistic support system: Support teachers with pedagogic resources, community engagement, and systemic incentives. Policy success depends on collaboration between parents, educators, and policymakers.

Conclusion:

• Urban schools, especially in metros, are an example of India’s internal migration and cultural plurality (includes children who speak a variety of mother tongues (Marathi, Tamil, Bengali) within the same learning space).
• Mother tongue-based education aligns with the NEP 2020 vision but requires contextual sensitivity (rather than a one-size-fits-all approach), teacher support, and inclusive dialogue for successful implementation.
• Schools must balance language inclusion with aspirations and realities on the ground to ensure equity and effectiveness in foundational learning.