CBSE students can now learn in 22 regional languages including Odia: Union Min Dharmendra Pradhan

In a welcome move, CBSE has now allowed regional languages as a medium of instruction in their schools. The board took the decision to keep the education system in line with the new National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020), informed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday.

“The schools under CBSE had only two mediums of teaching languages; English and Hindi. The New National Education Policy (NEP 2023) emphasises the use of regional languages. The Education Department had been waiting for the CBSE to implement the NEP on the ground, which it has done by introducing regional languages in schools,” said Pradhan.

“It means, other than Hindi and English, students in Odisha can learn in Odia as well. As per the experts, if a child starts learning in its mother tongue, then the child can achieve a wholesome development. So, I thank the CBSE for introducing this today,” Pradhan added.

Issuing the circular, CBSE wrote, “Multilingual education has been widely recognized 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 policy strongly advocates for utilizing 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 Ministry of Education Government of India has taken several measures to actualize education through Indian language mediums 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. As per reports, the NCERT has taken this serious task to highest priority so that textbooks in 22 scheduled languages can be made available to all students from the next sessions.

The circular advised the CBSE affiliated schools to consider using Indian languages as enumerated in Schedule 8 of the Indian Constitution as the medium of Instruction from the foundational stage till the end of the Secondary Stage i.e. from pre-primary classes till class XII as an optional medium In addition to other existing options.

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.