Embracing Linguistic Diversity: CBSE Pushes For Indian Languages In Schools

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has asked the schools affiliated to the board to consider using Indian languages as the medium of instruction from pre-primary classes till class XII.

"Multilingual education has been widely recognised as a valuable approach to fostering linguistic diversity, cultural understanding, and academic success among students. The National Education Policy 2020, in paragraph 4.12, emphasizes the significant cognitive advantages of multilingualism for young learners, particularly when they are exposed to multiple languages from foundational stage, with a specific focus on their mother tongue," the CBSE said in a circular on Friday (21 July).

The policy strongly advocates for utilising the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language as the medium of instruction whenever feasible, at least until Grade 5, but preferably extending till Grade 8 and beyond, the Board added.

It said that the implementation of multilingual education and the utilisation of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction present several challenges including the availability of skilled teachers capable of teaching in multilingual settings, the creation of high-quality multilingual textbooks, and the limited time available, especially in two-shift government schools, as multilingual education demands additional instructional time allocation.

"In view of above challenges, the Ministry of Education, Government of India has taken several measures to actualize education through Indian languages medium on ground. One of the major steps taken now is the direction by the Ministry of Education to NCERT for preparing new textbooks through 22 scheduled Indian languages. 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," the CBSE said.

According to the Board, higher education has also started gearing up to produce textbooks through Indian languages, and initiate learning-teaching process through Indian language mediums in addition to English medium, and to conduct examination through Indian languages as well.

The textbooks in technical education, medical education, vocational education, skill education, law education, etc. are now coming through Indian languages, it said.

The Board said that since higher education has started responding to this need then school education has to become its foundation.

The approach towards medium of instruction should be a continuity from school education to higher education.

"Therefore, the schools affiliated to CBSE need to play a vital role in this great endeavour by offering education through Indian languages," it said.

"In view of the above initiatives taken to facilitate education through Indian languages, the CBSE affiliated schools may consider using Indian languages, as enumerated in the Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution, as the medium of Instruction from Foundational Stage till end of Secondary Stage i.e. from pre-primary classes till class XII as an optional medium in addition to other existing options," the Board said in its circular to all the heads of cchools affiliated to CBSE.

The Board added that schools may explore the available resources, consult with experts in the field, and collaborate with other schools to share best practices to make multilingual education in CBSE schools a reality.