Challenges of three-language policy: Regional variations, parental strain, and educational disparities
3 days, 13 hours ago

Challenges of three-language policy: Regional variations, parental strain, and educational disparities

The Hindu  

Reviewing the challenges and implications of India’s three-language policy implementation on the ground. “From Class IV to Class VIII, students are required to study three languages: English and Hindi as mandatory subjects, with the option to choose between Sanskrit, French, or German as their third language,” she explains. Mr. Arshad Khan from Odisha explains that while Hindi is typically the second language, children in Odisha learn their mother tongue, Odia, as their third language. “It makes it easier for children to pick up their regional language, which is also part of the NEP’s vision,” he adds. “It’s tough on a single mother running on a stipend, and the bi-weekly classes aren’t sufficient to help children learn the language fluently.” Experts weigh in Dr. Rajan Kurai Krishnan, Associate Professor at Ambedkar University, shared his concerns about the practical implications of the NEP’s three-language policy.

Language Policy Bengaluru Children English School Challenges Tamil Languages Kannada Hindi State French Nep Class Her Son Coimbatore Cbse German Sanskrit Krishnan Regional Variations Sriramachandran Educational Disparities  policy  hindi  educational  disparities  sanskrit  parental  challenges  threelanguage  strain  children  regional  variations  language  class  school  languages

History of this topic

Will soon make an announcement, says Stalin amid NEP row
5 days, 1 hour ago

Will soon make an announcement, says Stalin amid NEP row

Hindustan Times  

Accusing the BJP-led Union government of treating states as enslaved regions by imposing three languages, Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Tuesday said in the ongoing assembly session that he would soon make an announcement that will uphold the native Tamil language and states’ rights. Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Tuesday said in the ongoing assembly session …

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai joins debate, backs three-language policy: ‘Big competitive advantage’
2 weeks ago

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai joins debate, backs three-language policy: ‘Big competitive advantage’

Live Mint  

Amid Tamil Nadu's ongoing tussle with the Centre over the language issue, former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai joined the debate and expressed that learning more languages will help people to work across India, while the three-language formula has given Indians ‘great mobility’ at work. The user further noted that the new language policy introduced under the Modi government promotes …

Never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed making it compulsory: Pawan Kalyan
2 weeks, 1 day ago

Never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed making it compulsory: Pawan Kalyan

The Hindu  

Jana Sena Party president and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan said in a post on X on Saturday that imposing a language forcibly or opposing a language blindly doesn’t help in achieving the objective of national and cultural integration of Bharat. Mr. Pawan Kalyan claimed that he had never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed …

Kerala supports three-language policy but opposes imposition of Hindi: Minister
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Kerala supports three-language policy but opposes imposition of Hindi: Minister

The Hindu  

As the bitter battle between the Tamil Nadu government and the Centre over the three-language policy continues, Kerala Higher Education Minister R. Bindu said on Wednesday that the State has always encouraged the policy but firmly opposes the imposition of Hindi. “We want students to learn foreign languages as well, which is why we have set up the Centre of …

Three-language policy in NEP is good for whole country, says Union Minister Kiren Rijiju
3 weeks, 3 days ago

Three-language policy in NEP is good for whole country, says Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

The Hindu  

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday said the three-language formula in the New Education Policy is good for the whole country. "The three-language policy in the national education policy is good for the whole country," the Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs and Minority Affairs told reporters here. The Education Minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, has Odia as his mother tongue, and my …

NEP’s three-language policy is not about Hindi imposition
Trending News
3 weeks, 6 days ago

NEP’s three-language policy is not about Hindi imposition

Hindustan Times  

“We consider all Indian languages as soul of Bharatiyata and the link to a better future for the country.” These words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi symbolise the quintessential core of the transformative National Education Policy 2020. By ensuring foremost priority to one’s mother tongue and regional languages, NEP 2020 conclusively strengthens cooperative federalism. The visionary NEP 2020, by steadfastly …

All languages are equally important, no Hindi push: Dharmendra Pradhan
4 weeks ago

All languages are equally important, no Hindi push: Dharmendra Pradhan

India Today  

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday, March 2, 2025, stated that the New Education Policy 2020 does not force Hindi upon any state. His statements come at a time when the Tamil Nadu government remains opposed to the three-language policy of NEP 2020. "NEP 2020 highlights all languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Odia, and Punjabi. The NEP 2020 suggests education …

The student and the three language debate
4 weeks ago

The student and the three language debate

The Hindu  

In the rhetoric of partisan politics surrounding the three language formula, unsurprisingly, the most important stakeholder has been forgotten: the student. The critical question is this: is learning three languages essential to enable a child from a public school to compete with other more privileged candidates in the job market and become a productive, value-adding citizen? Fourth, it is not …

Hindi vs Native Languages Debate Reveals India’s Hidden Crisis of Multilingualism
4 weeks ago

Hindi vs Native Languages Debate Reveals India’s Hidden Crisis of Multilingualism

The Hindu  

Published : Mar 02, 2025 14:09 IST - 6 MINS READ The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Our history tells you that this two-language formula has helped us materially as we are economically better off than the “Hindi” regions like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. We do not have to go looking for livelihood in other States like the people …

Tamil Nadu Governor’s Charges Refuted
Trending News
1 month ago

Tamil Nadu Governor’s Charges Refuted

Deccan Chronicle  

Chennai: Governor R N Ravi’s allegation that the southern part of the State felt like a neglected backyard despite the region having a huge potential for industrialization came in for attack from the State Law Minister S Regupathy, who challenged the Governor to explain on what aspect the State was backward. Ravi’s message on X after interacting with leaders from …

What's the need to learn Hindi? DMK's Kanimozhi on three-language policy row
1 month ago

What's the need to learn Hindi? DMK's Kanimozhi on three-language policy row

India Today  

Senior Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader and Lok Sabha MP Kanimozhi reiterated her party's stand on the contentious issue of three-language policy implementation in Tamil Nadu, wondering why it is necessary to learn Hindi. Centre withheld Rs 5,000 crore in funds meant for Tamil Nadu, after we refused to implement the National Education Policy, which mandates a three-language policy," she added. …

An open letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan
Trending News
1 month, 1 week ago

An open letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan

The Hindu  

Dear Mr. Pradhan, I am an educator with a deep interest in issues affecting education. Your recent statement that Tamil Nadu will not receive funding until it agrees to the National Education Policy and adopts the three-language formula has sparked mixed reactions. For decades, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language policy, with students learning their mother tongue or regional language …

Why is the three-language policy controversial? | Explained
Top News
1 month, 1 week ago

Why is the three-language policy controversial? | Explained

The Hindu  

The story so far: The Union Government has withheld ₹2,152 crore in funds due to Tamil Nadu under the Samagra Shiksha scheme for refusing to join the Prime Minister Schools for Rising India initiative. Hindi-speaking States were required to teach Hindi, English, and a modern Indian language — preferably a south Indian language — while non-Hindi speaking States were expected …

International Mother Language Day
1 month, 1 week ago

International Mother Language Day

The Hindu  

There is a common language that everyone speaks, and then there is your own language — the one that feels like home. Observed on February 21, International Mother Language Day reminds us of the need to preserve linguistic diversity and protect fading languages. India’s linguistic richness: From ancient roots to fading voices Ancient languages: Tamil, one of the oldest surviving …

English education: A case for two-language policy
2 months, 4 weeks ago

English education: A case for two-language policy

The Hindu  

For decades, “modernisation” in India has often boiled down to minor tweaks dressed up as major reforms — announced with fanfare but seldom pursued with real vigour. A policy that maintains the child’s mother tongue as the bedrock of cultural and conceptual understanding — while guaranteeing proficiency in English — can tackle deep-rooted educational inequalities and unlock India’s unrealised potential …

Shed the myopia, refocus on the relevance of English
6 months, 1 week ago

Shed the myopia, refocus on the relevance of English

The Hindu  

The aspiration to have their child/children speak in English is a dream that many Indian parents have, recognising its critical role in ensuring better socioeconomic opportunities. Since India’s independence, educational policies such as the National Education Policy 2020, influenced by political ideologies, have aimed to restrict the spread of the English language and diminish its significance across various sectors. The …

CBSE’s Progressive Step Towards Multilingual Education: Benefits and Challenges - News18
1 year, 7 months ago

CBSE’s Progressive Step Towards Multilingual Education: Benefits and Challenges - News18

News 18  

It is often said, “The pursuit of knowledge becomes all the more enriching when students can explore it through the lens of their own language.” Acknowledging the multi-linguistic landscape of our country, the Central Board of Secondary Education has issued a compelling directive, urging its affiliated schools to embrace the rich tapestry of Indian languages as the medium of instruction. …

International Mother Language Day: Multilingual learning and teaching to preserve diversity and ensure inclusion
2 years, 1 month ago

International Mother Language Day: Multilingual learning and teaching to preserve diversity and ensure inclusion

India Today  

Language is a medium of expression, like the strokes of a painter's brush or the expressions of an artist on stage. Every year, International Mother Language Day is celebrated on February 21 to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, and to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of languages to the development of individuals, societies, and cultures. Promoting mother languages while …

Recognising territorial links to languages essential for Indian federalism
2 years, 10 months ago

Recognising territorial links to languages essential for Indian federalism

The Hindu  

Historically, the symbiotic relationship of a language with the idea of a nation has been marked by much contestation across the world since the nineteenth century. At the 37th meeting of the Parliamentary Official Language Committee held on April 8, 2022, Home Minister Amit Shah commented that in all the north-eastern States Hindi would be made compulsory until Class 10. …

The debate on the national language
2 years, 10 months ago

The debate on the national language

The Hindu  

The story so far: Remarks by a Hindi actor to the effect that Hindi is the national language of India sparked a controversy recently over the status of the language under the Constitution. The official language issue was hotly debated in the Constituent Assembly, and the provisions relating to it were formulated only after a compromise that English shall continue …

Policy lessons in Tamil Nadu’s language formula
4 years, 6 months ago

Policy lessons in Tamil Nadu’s language formula

The Hindu  

The New Education Policy misses the vital empirical evidence of Tamil Nadu following a language formula that is distinctly at variance with that of Delhi for the past 50 years and yet achieving significant positive social and economic changes. The American example he cited during a parliamentary debate is worth mentioning: “When USA emerged as a nation only 20% of …

Tamil Nadu rejects three-language formula in new NEP, will follow existing two-language policy
4 years, 7 months ago

Tamil Nadu rejects three-language formula in new NEP, will follow existing two-language policy

Firstpost  

Teaching the mother tongue or regional language upto Class 5 and lowering the stakes of board exams are part of the new reforms of the NEP unveiled last week **Chennai:**Strongly backing Tamil Nadu’s decades-old two-language policy, the ruling AIADMK in the state on Monday rejected the Centre’s three-language formula proposed in the new National Education Policy 2020 and said there …

Three-language formula: No language to be imposed on any state, assures HRD Ministry
4 years, 7 months ago

Three-language formula: No language to be imposed on any state, assures HRD Ministry

India Today  

The HRD Ministry or the Ministry of Education has put out a tweet stating that the three-language formula will continue to be implemented in schools “with greater flexibility” but that “no language will be imposed on any state”. It said that the “Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union” would be kept in mind, along with “the …

Hindi push assault on diversity, India’s spirit
5 years, 6 months ago

Hindi push assault on diversity, India’s spirit

Deccan Chronicle  

On Hindi Divas, when Union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah gave an impassioned speech about the “need of our country to have one language, so that foreign languages don’t find a place”, one wonders why he use ‘languages’ in plural! Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Jan Sangh, which was the BJP’s predecessor, favoured Hindi but …

Never spoke of imposing Hindi: Amit Shah
5 years, 6 months ago

Never spoke of imposing Hindi: Amit Shah

The Hindu  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday claimed that he did not push for Hindi over regional languages. Referring to his speech on the occasion of Hindi Divas on Saturday where he made a pitch for a common language for India, the Home Minister said that to end the confusion, people should listen to his speech carefully but “if someone …

Hindi 'imposition' debate: Schools can play key role in promoting integration through 3-language formula
5 years, 6 months ago

Hindi 'imposition' debate: Schools can play key role in promoting integration through 3-language formula

Firstpost  

The language debate has again assumed significance in the light of remarks made by Home Minister Amit Shah. The constitutional position on the issue is straightforward and is found in Article 343, which states that the official language of the Union should be Hindi in the Devanagari script, along with English. States ideally should have had sole authority in determining …

Language discrimination
5 years, 9 months ago

Language discrimination

The Hindu  

The first draft of the National Education Policy gathered controversy. Anyhow, the original draft had proposed that schoolchildren learn three languages, namely their mother tongue, English and Hindi when Hindi is not their mother tongue and Hindi, English and a ‘modern Indian language’ in case their mother tongue is Hindi. There is no credible basis on which to insist that …

Hindi or English, comparing apples and oranges
5 years, 9 months ago

Hindi or English, comparing apples and oranges

The Hindu  

True to their well-earned reputation, the people of Tamil Nadu have once again stood up against attempts to ‘promote’ Hindi in non-Hindi States. The three-language formula under the draft National Education Policy, now modified, stipulated mother tongue and English compulsory everywhere till class X, and Hindi in non-Hindi States and non-Hindi languages in Hindi States to be taught. One might …

Crisis defused: on Hindi imposition
5 years, 9 months ago

Crisis defused: on Hindi imposition

The Hindu  

The Centre has moved quickly to defuse a potentially volatile controversy over the charge of Hindi imposition. The reference in the newly unveiled draft National Education Policy to mandatory teaching of Hindi in all States was withdrawn following an outcry from political leaders in Tamil Nadu, a State that is quite sensitive to any hint of ‘Hindi imposition’ by the …

Government respects all languages, no language will be imposed: MEA S Jaishankar on Education Policy draft
5 years, 9 months ago

Government respects all languages, no language will be imposed: MEA S Jaishankar on Education Policy draft

India TV News  

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar sought calm raging sentiments on National Education Policy draft and said that government respects all languages and that no language will be imposed on anybody. In his tweet, he said that the education policy is still in the draft stage and suggestions from people will be obtained and state government will also be consulted before …

Parties warn against imposition of Hindi
5 years, 9 months ago

Parties warn against imposition of Hindi

The Hindu  

The draft of the National Education Policy, which proposes a three-language formula, has evoked strong opposition from political parties in Tamil Nadu, which has witnessed anti-Hindi agitations in the past. Alleging that the policy was drafted with the motive of imposing Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking States, Mr. Stalin said one should not forget the promise of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru …

Smriti isn't completely wrong: Teaching German is against National Education Policy
10 years, 4 months ago

Smriti isn't completely wrong: Teaching German is against National Education Policy

Firstpost  

German would have had no place in the 3-language formula evolved in 1968 to promote national integration. However, Irani is surely right in affirming that teaching German as the third language is not quite in the spirit of the National Education Policy of 1968 which specifies what the three-language formula is about. Briefly stated, that policy said that schools will …

Treat all languages equally, save linguistic diversity
10 years, 9 months ago

Treat all languages equally, save linguistic diversity

Firstpost  

All languages in this country should be treated as equal and state government should get the freedom to decide in what language they want to interact with central government instead of limiting option to just two languages. By Kanva While Modi is free to talk in whatever language he wishes to, at the same time his government should ensure that …

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