Mar 03, 2025 07:46 PM IST
NEP 2020 like the earlier education policies of 1968 and 1986, follows the three-language policy. But the similarity absolutely ends there
“We consider all Indian languages as soul of Bharatiyata and the link to a better future for the country.” These words of Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi symbolise the quintessential core of the transformative National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. By ensuring foremost priority to one’s mother tongue and regional languages, NEP 2020 conclusively strengthens cooperative federalism. Fabricating fictitious north-south fault lines for political profit and blatantly peddling false narratives like Hindi imposition is divisive federalism.
NEP 2020 like the earlier education policies of 1968 and 1986, follows the three-language policy. But the similarity absolutely ends there. Under the Congress government’s education policies (1968 and 1986), students in non-Hindi speaking states were compelled to take Hindi as the third language. But now under NEP 2020, the students are empowered to choose any regional language of their choice. The defining difference is that NEP 2020 progressively leaves the choice of the third language to the states, regions and students. This is a momentous shift in our educational policy to foster linguistic diversity in our nation. Rinsing and repeating false binaries and strawman arguments like Hindi imposition to mislead and manipulate will not work anymore. We live in a digital age where one can effectively fact check malicious misinformation. In the 65-page NEP 2020 document, while Hindi is just mentioned once, regional languages like Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada and Odia are mentioned more number of times.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) often raises the bogey of the rights and autonomy of state governments being impeded and eroded by the Centre. Education was originally in the state list of the Constitution. It was during the Emergency that education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List, through the 42nd Amendment. Currently, Congress-led governments in Himachal Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka follow the three-language policy.
In 1968, the DMK government vehemently attacked and boycotted the three-language policy and since then, Tamil Nadu, regardless of the party in office, has followed the two-language policy. Today, the number of students in private schools in Tamil Nadu are higher than those in government schools. If the present state government deems it so detrimental and harmful, why are many private schools in the state still following the three-language policy? Is this not ideological dilution?
The dubious dichotomy in Tamil Nadu is that while students in many private school boards benefit from studying a third language of their choice, the disadvantaged government school students are being deprived of this option. Why is the DMK which touts its Dravida model of governance, denying government school students the valuable chance to learn great Dravidian languages like Telugu, Kannada or Malayalam? When learning a third language is the preserve of just the privileged class in private schools, how can that be true social justice?
Tamil, one the world’s most ancient languages and its illustrious cultural legacy, have a special place in PM Modi’s heart. Be it honouring Mahakavi Subramania Bharati’s birth anniversary by celebrating it as National Language Day, installing the sacred sengol in the new Parliament, showcasing the historic Kashi and Saurashtra Tamil Sangamams, the publication of Thirukkural translations in 13 Indian languages or setting up Thiruvalluvar cultural centres across the globe, the Modi government has exhibited unswerving commitment to respecting Tamil heritage.
PM Modi recognises a civilisational connect in every Indian language. A significant moment during his 2023 Independence Day address was when he thanked the Supreme Court for its decision to provide the operative part of their judgements in regional languages. Under Modi’s leadership, fostering inclusivity by preserving Indian languages has received a great fillip. We saw Kashmiri and Dogri being recognised as official languages in Jammu & Kashmir, following the abrogation of Article 370. Classical language status has been recently conferred upon Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali. The PM has given a clarion call to provide medical, engineering and technical education in vernacular languages. Competitive exams like JEE, NEET, and CUET are now conducted in 13 regional languages, and engineering courses are available in eight Indian languages.
The visionary NEP 2020, by steadfastly prioritising one’s mother tongue and regional languages, fortifies national integration. NEP 2020 is playing a pivotal role in India’s journey of becoming a developed nation. Placing public good ahead of political fear-mongering will help substantially in securing a brighter future for our youth, the driving force of our nation.
CR Kesavan is a national spokesperson of the BJP. The views expressed are personal
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