Mentor’s Comment

Language policy has re-emerged as a core governance issue in education reform. India’s multilingual reality directly affects learning outcomes, equity, and dropout rates. The debate shifts from symbolic recognition of languages to structural reform in pedagogy, curriculum, teacher recruitment, and digital infrastructure. This article analyses the policy implications of mother-tongue based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) within India’s constitutional and institutional framework.

Why in the News?

India observes International Mother Language Day amidst renewed focus on multilingual education. The 2025 edition of UNESCO’s Global Education monitoring emphasises Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE). The issue is significant because India’s recent reforms, particularly National Education Policy 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework 2022 , formally place the mother tongue at the centre of early education for the first time in a comprehensive policy framework. 

How does language of instruction affect foundational learning outcomes and dropout rates?

1. Foundational Literacy Impact: Early education in unfamiliar languages increases cognitive burden before concept acquisition. Weak literacy and numeracy accumulate into learning deficits.
2. Dropout Risk: Language mismatch reduces confidence and increases school discontinuation, especially among tribal and rural children.
3. Equity Dimension: Marginalised linguistic communities face systemic disadvantage in access to quality education.
4. Evidence Base: Nearly 40% of Indian children begin schooling in a language different from their home language (NCERT 2022 findings).
5. Global Scale: Over 250 million learners worldwide lack instruction in a language they fully understand.

How does India’s constitutional and policy framework address multilingualism in education?

1. Constitutional Recognition: Eighth Schedule of the Constitution recognises 22 languages, affirming linguistic diversity as a national commitment.
2. Policy Shift: National Education Policy 2020 places mother tongue/home language at the centre of early childhood and primary education.
3. Curricular Reform: National Curriculum Framework 2022 embeds multilingual pedagogy within classroom practice.
4. Child-Centric Approach: Aligns pedagogy with cognitive research demonstrating improved comprehension in familiar languages.
5. Institutional Integration: Links early childhood care and school education under a unified policy framework.

What governance mechanisms support implementation of MTB-MLE at state and district levels?

1. State-Level Policy Design: States formulate language-in-education policies aligned with NEP framework.
2. Teacher Recruitment Standards: Requires multilingual competency in recruitment and professional development.
3. Pre-service and In-service Training: Embeds multilingual pedagogy in teacher education.
4. Material Development: Produces textbooks and assessments in multiple languages.
5. Community Participation: Integrates indigenous knowledge systems into local curricula.
6. Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Proposed National Mission for Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education ensures policy coherence across ministries and institutions.

How are digital platforms and technology strengthening multilingual education delivery?

1. Digital Infrastructure: DIKSHA expands access to multilingual learning materials.
2. National Initiatives: PM eVIDYA provides digital and broadcast learning resources in regional languages.
3. Community-Led Innovation: AI-based platforms document endangered languages and create local content.
4. Access Expansion: Digital tools reduce geographic barriers for tribal and remote learners.
5. Scalability: Technology enables rapid content replication across multiple linguistic contexts.

Does linguistic diversity act as a barrier or a driver of development and social cohesion?

1. Equity Enhancement: Language inclusion strengthens participation and identity affirmation.
2. Social Cohesion: Recognition of linguistic identities reduces alienation.
3. Human Capital Formation: Improved comprehension enhances productivity and skill development.
4. Cultural Preservation: Prevents intergenerational erosion of knowledge systems.
5. Transformative Potential: Positions diversity as developmental capital rather than administrative burden.

Conclusion

Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education is not merely a cultural accommodation but a structural reform in India’s education governance framework. Aligning language of instruction with the learner’s home language strengthens foundational literacy, reduces dropout rates, and enhances equity in human capital formation. Effective implementation requires coordinated federal action, teacher capacity building, multilingual material development, and digital inclusion. Linguistic diversity, when institutionally supported, functions as developmental capital rather than administrative complexity, thereby advancing constitutional commitments to equality, inclusion, and social justice.

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