On International Mother Language Day, celebrated on February 21, 2023, a revelation was made that several Indian languages are on the brink of extinction due to modernisation and globalisation. The great concern is that this loss is mainly due to a lack of education. The primary focus of this day in 2023 was “Multilingual education – a necessity to transform education”.
Understanding International Mother Language Day
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared February 21 as International Mother Language Day in 1999. This declaration was realised in 2000, and it commemorates Bangladesh’s robust struggle to protect its mother language, Bangla. The proposal to establish February 21 as International Mother Language Day was made by Rafiqul Islam, a Bangladeshi living in Canada.
Objective of International Mother Language Day
UNESCO stresses the significance of mother-tongue-based instruction for language preservation and has initiated the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to protect cultural diversity. According to the United Nations, there is a rapid disappearance of languages at an alarming rate of one every two weeks, taking with them an entire cultural and intellectual heritage.
The Impact on India
In India, this loss is most prevalent in tribal areas, where children encounter difficulties learning in schools that do not provide instruction in their native languages. In Odisha, for instance, only six tribal languages have written scripts, leaving many tribal communities without access to literature and education materials.
Global Initiatives for Protecting Languages
The United Nations has marked 2022 to 2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages. This follows the United Nations General Assembly’s proclamation of 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. Additionally, the Yuelu Proclamation by UNESCO in 2018 has been central to guiding global efforts towards linguistic resource protection and enhancing diversity.
India’s Approach to Indigenous Language Protection
The Indian government has undertaken several initiatives to protect indigenous languages. The Bhasha Sangam program encourages students to learn and appreciate various languages, including their mother tongues, while also championing cultural diversity. Besides, the Central Institute of Indian Languages focuses on researching and developing Indian languages. The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), established in 1961, supports the evolution of technical terminology in all Indian languages by providing publication grants for university-level books in regional languages.
State-level Initiatives in India
Various Indian states have likewise launched initiatives to protect local languages. Odisha has introduced the “Ama Ghara” program, which provides education in tribal languages. Similarly, the Kerala state government’s “Namath Basai” initiative has proven effective in providing education to tribal children using vernacular languages.
Focusing on the Future
Despite the grim situation, there is hope that India’s mother tongues can be preserved with the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020. This policy promotes mother tongue-based education from the early stages of schooling to higher levels. Linguistic justice must be addressed to ensure language does not inhibit access to education. With these efforts, the survival of India’s rich linguistic heritage may be secured.
