The Hindu: Published on 26th Feb 2025:
Why in News?
The Central Government and the Tamil Nadu Government are in conflict over the implementation of the three-language formula under the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The Union government has linked the release of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds to compliance with this policy. However, Tamil Nadu sees this as a step towards Hindi imposition and insists on continuing its two-language policy (Tamil and English).
Key Issues Raised
Historical Background of the Three-Language Formula-
- Introduced in the National Education Policy (NEP) of 1968.
- Mandated the teaching of Hindi in non-Hindi speaking states.
- Led to strong opposition in Tamil Nadu, which has since followed a two-language policy (Tamil & English).
- NEP 2020 retains the three-language formula but states that no language will be imposed, and the choice will be left to states, regions, and students.
Legal and Constitutional Provisions on Language-
Hindi is the official language of the Union, but English continues to be used for official purposes.
States can choose their own official languages.
The Union Government is responsible for promoting Hindi, but there is no constitutional compulsion on states to follow a specific language policy in education.
Concerns Over Educational Outcomes-
- Reports like ASER 2022 and 2023 show poor learning outcomes among school students.
- 60% of Class V students could not read a Class II level text.
- 25% of youth (14-18 years) could not fluently read a Class II text in their regional language.
- Over 40% of students struggled with reading sentences in English.
- Adding an extra language course in government schools could put more pressure on students without addressing existing learning deficiencies.
Financial Constraints in Education-
85% of the total expenditure on elementary education is borne by State Governments, while the Centre funds only 15%.
Overall spending on education is 4-4.5% of GDP, below the 6% target set by NEP 2020.
The Centre linking Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan funds to the adoption of the three-language policy could create financial difficulties for Tamil Nadu’s education system.
Implications of the Three-Language Policy
Language and Identity Concerns – Tamil Nadu sees the policy as an attempt to impose Hindi, potentially threatening regional linguistic identity.
Educational Burden on Students – Introducing a third language may increase pressure on students, especially when foundational literacy skills are already weak.
Financial Autonomy for States – States argue for more financial independence in deciding their education policies, rather than conditional funding by the Centre.
Urbanization and Natural Language Learning – 2011 Census data shows that 26% of Indians are bilingual and 7% are trilingual. With urbanization and migration, people are naturally learning additional languages based on necessity rather than compulsion.
What Happens Next?
Constructive Dialogue Between Centre & States – The Centre and Tamil Nadu must engage in meaningful discussions to ensure that education funds are not delayed.
Balancing Language Learning & Educational Priorities – While multilingualism is valuable, the focus should be on improving literacy and numeracy first.
Granting More Autonomy to States – Considering regional linguistic diversity, states should have more flexibility in implementing education policies.
Key Takeaways:
- Tamil Nadu remains opposed to the three-language policy, seeing it as an attempt to impose Hindi.
- The ASER reports show poor learning outcomes, raising concerns about adding an extra language in schools.
- The Centre funds only 15% of school education, yet it is linking funding to language policy compliance.
- Multilingualism is increasing naturally due to migration and urbanization, reducing the need for forced language learning.
- A balanced approach is needed to ensure that language policies do not hinder the core goal of improving education.
