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Opinion Children thrive in their mother tongue — but only if no one is left out

What does ‘multilingualism’ even mean for children studying in under-resourced schools?

June 18, 2025 10:58 AM IST First published on: Jun 18, 2025 at 07:17 AM IST

It is universally acknowledged that young children learn best through their mother tongue. There can be no two opinions on the research findings cited in the NEP, 2020, which states that “children pick up languages extremely quickly between the ages of two and eight”, and promises that “all languages will be taught in an enjoyable and interactive style, with plenty of interactive conversation”. Given my long association with the education sector, I am, however, uncomfortable with some of the ideas being put forward.

The NEP lists “promoting multilingualism and the power of language in teaching and learning” as a fundamental principle. The CBSE is emphasising this in the schools affiliated with it. But why limit it to schools affiliated with one board? This may also be the right time to think of children whose mother tongue finds no place in schools, with no books or teachers. There are also children whose mother tongue has no script yet. One cannot ignore such realities or neglect the situation in a majority of government or municipal schools while advocating for multilingualism. Children studying there need to acquire linguistic skills. They are keen to learn multiple languages and certainly have the aptitude. But they need teachers — regular, properly trained ones — at the right teacher-student ratio, who understand their socio-cultural environment and aren’t constantly anxious about whether they’ll be retained the next year.

If circulars alone had the power to change things, millions of children — mostly first-generation learners — would not have suffered humiliation, failure, and exclusion in the early years after Independence when they were brought to government schools by earnest teachers. The imposition of compulsory English learning, without aligning it to children’s spoken languages, contributed to higher dropout rates and poor performance. A transplanted education system — created by colonisers for a select few — was extended to achieve universal access, as envisioned in Article 45 of the Constitution, which directed the state to provide free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14. The system cracked under its own weight.

With the fading out of the earlier generation of Gandhian teachers and idealist politicians, we became unable even to recruit teachers on time. Today, for most Indians, the “power of language” is synonymous with learning English. Private, high-fee-charging schools are seen as the only hope of securing a “bright” future. Multilingualism will certainly help nurture talent and skills, but only in schools that have teachers who believe in lifelong learning and a management system that ensures the regular presence of trained teachers with the necessary language skills.

At times, our rhetoric becomes too grand and we end up ignoring core issues. Nearly 9 lakh regular teaching posts in government schools are vacant. This problem has persisted, with fluctuating numbers, for decades. What does “multilingualism” mean for children studying in such under-resourced schools?

The late CJI, Justice J S Verma, highlighted this in 2012. He unequivocally stated that over 10,000 BEd colleges were essentially selling degrees. So, what should our real priority be — promoting multilingualism or recruiting teachers who have earned their degrees? Or perhaps, just ensuring schools are functional?

In striving to match international benchmarks and meet the aspirations of a select group, let us not forget our constitutional obligation to provide equitable education to all. I must emphasise that instead of focusing disproportionately on a privileged section (like CBSE-affiliated schools), the more underserved should not be ignored. Let children learn in the language they are most comfortable with. Let them decide the rest as they grow. Unburden them — instead of overwhelming them with yet another circular.

The writer works in education, social cohesion and religious amity. He is presently an Atal fellow with PMML, New Delhi