LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 19:10 October 2019
ISSN 1930-2940

Editors:
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

Managing Editor & Publisher: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.

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Draft National Education Policy 2019 & Language Policy for Education in India
A Critical Appraisal

Prof. B. Mallikarjun
Former Director, Centre for Classical Kannada
Central University of Karnataka
Kadaganchi, Aland Road, Kalaburagi District – 585311 Karnataka, India
mallikarjun56@gmail.com

Anand T Hingorani collected and published the writings of Mahatma Gandhi on various subjects. He gave the title ‘Our Language Problem’ for Mahatma’s thoughts on languages in India. The title pertinently summarises the language scenario of the country during pre-independence days. This legacy continued during early decades of the independent India. To solve the language problems of the Union, States and Union Territories in various domains of language use, language choices were made in the Constitution for their use in administration, parliament, assembly, judiciary etc.

The question of choice of language/s for learning in the schools and the choice of medium of education did not find place in the Constitution at the time of its acceptance. After the reorganisation of the states on linguistic lines in 1956 protection of language rights in the field of education of the linguistic minorities was found necessary. The States Reorganization Commission had asked the Union Government to elucidate a policy outline for education in mother tongue at the Secondary stage. Through the Seventh Constitution Amendment in 1956, Article 350A was made part of the Constitution of India. In the facilities for instruction in mother-tongue at primary stage, it said that “It shall be the endeavour of every State and of every local authority within the State to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother-tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups; and the President may issue such directions to any State as he considers necessary or proper for securing the provision of such facilities.” It has to be noted that this ensures education in mother tongue for the linguistic minority groups. But it does not say anything about the linguistic majority. So today Hindi or Kannada mother tongue student is not bound to have his education through his mother tongue. He can opt or get it through English.

With this, choice of language/s in education and medium of instruction were left to the discretion of the union and state government/s. Several attempts have been made to arrive at a suitable policy for the domain of language education in India. Since it is contextually needed, I will be citing some of them here.

The Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India has formulated the backbone of the nation’s development - a draft of National Education Policy 2019 [NEP-2019] and placed it before the public for their comments, suggestions and such other inputs before it is finalised and implemented. The language education part of this document needs to be critically examined by the linguists, language teachers and teachers of both modern and classical literature. This paper intends to critically examine the language policy for education elucidated in this policy document from a linguist and language teacher’s point of view. Language education includes - language(s) to be taught and the language medium through which various subjects are taught at different stages of education-preschool to post graduation.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE DISSERTATION IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Prof. B. Mallikarjun
Former Director, Centre for Classical Kannada
Central University of Karnataka
Kadaganchi, Aland Road, Kalaburagi District – 585311 Karnataka, India
mallikarjun56@gmail.com
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