Use Indian languages to teach, CBSE tells schools as NCERT prioritises making textbooks available
Education Policy, 2020, which aims to introduce education in multiple languages. CBSE Director (Academic), Joseph Emmanuel, highlighted the importance of this initiative and suggested that Indian languages listed in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution could be used as mediums of instruction from the foundational stage up to the end of secondary education (from pre-primary classes to class 12), in addition to the existing options. The board emphasised the need for schools to collaborate and pool available resources to effectively implement multilingual education.
The implementation of multilingual education poses challenges, including the availability of skilled teachers proficient in teaching subjects in multiple languages, the creation of high-quality multilingual textbooks, and time limitations, particularly in two-shift government schools. "The NCERT has taken this serious task on highest priority so that textbooks in 22 scheduled languages can be made available to all students from next sessions," PTI quoted CBSE as saying.
The CBSE acknowledged the efforts made by higher education authorities to provide education in multiple languages and conduct exams in different languages. Technical, medical, vocational, skill, and law education textbooks are also being made available in Indian languages. With higher education institutions already adapting to this need, the CBSE believes that schools must become the foundation of multilingual education.
The Ministry of Education has directed the NCERT to prepare new textbooks in 22 scheduled Indian languages on a priority basis. This initiative will ensure that students have access to quality educational materials in their mother tongue or other Indian languages.
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