The Union Education Minister in India recently established a task force to devise a plan for offering technical education in students’ mother tongues. This move aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aspiration for students to study professional courses such as medicine, engineering, law, etc. in their native languages. Part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, this decision emphasizes instruction in regional languages up to eighth grade and encourages curriculum delivery in languages the students are comfortable with.
Task Force Framework & Objective
The task force will be set-up under the chairmanship of the secretary of higher education, Amit Khare. Its primary objective is to fulfill the Prime Minister’s vision by considering suggestions from various stakeholders and submitting a report in one month.
Benefits of Technical Education in Regional Languages
Technical education in regional languages enhances the learning process as the human mind is more receptive to communication in the familiar language. Various countries use regional languages for classroom teaching, including France, Germany, Russia, and China, fostering inclusiveness, literacy rates improvement, poverty reduction, and international cooperation.
Challenges in Implementing Technical Education in Regional Languages
Implementing technical education in regional languages presents several challenges. It requires teachers proficient in vernacular and English, textbooks and reference materials in regional languages, and technological aids like audio translation tools.
Government Initiatives in Support of Regional Languages
Several initiatives have been launched to promote regional languages. For instance, the National Education Policy 2020 supports education in regional languages. The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) provides grants for university-level books published in regional languages. The National Translation Mission (NTM) translates textbooks used in universities and colleges into all Eighth Schedule languages. Additionally, several schemes aim to protect threatened languages or promote regional languages in higher education.
Global Initiatives in Promoting Language Diversity
The Yuelu Proclamation made by UNESCO in 2018 guides the global efforts to protect linguistic resources and diversity. The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2019 as the International Year of Indigenous Languages, aiming to preserve, support, and promote indigenous languages at all levels.
Legal Provisions for Safeguarding Regional Languages
Several articles of the Indian Constitution safeguard regional languages, preserving the rights of citizens to conserve their language, use their mother tongue in Parliament, and access instruction in their mother-tongue at the primary stage of education. Furthermore, the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 states that, as far as practicable, the medium of instruction should be a student’s mother tongue.
Looking Ahead: Fostering Language Diversity in Education
Many countries worldwide have successfully replaced English with their mother tongues, producing highly accomplished scientists, researchers, technicians, and thinkers. Overcoming language barriers requires encouraging knowledge generation in native languages through original scientific writing and publishing books in regional languages. Studies show children can learn multiple languages if taught from an early age. Consequently, promoting regional languages without compromising English knowledge is crucial since English is one among many skills required to actively participate in and experience the world.
