National Education Policy 2020 and Multilingualism in India

Sunil K Mishra; Parul Mishra

Vol-9,Issue-1,January - February 2024

Author: Sunil K Mishra, Parul Mishra

Keywords: National Education Policy (NEP 2020), Multilingualism, Diversity, Culture and Language

Abstract: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in India casts its attention on establishing the interconnection between languages and the medium of instruction for teaching and learning. The present essay is going to deal with the role of languages in NEP – 2020 and figure out its recommendations to be imparted in the areas of medium of instruction, classical languages, foreign languages, and Indian Sign Language. The article underlines the factors that can either be proved positive or not by a concern on how NEP revised language related proposals can be implemented now through a review of existing literature and policy documents. The study demonstrates the emphasis that this policy places on mother tongue-based multilingual education in the early pedagogical years. As well, it encourages the usage of English language and other languages. The NEP as a policy of the language seeks for celebration of the linguistic diversity of India, improved lecturing outcomes and equips the students with the necessary and requisite necessary to perform in the 21st century; eventuality calls for the logical problem solving that involves teacher training and resource development. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of India is at the very core a paradigm shifts in the country's education framework with a focus placed in multilingualism promotion. This article delves into the NEP 2020 main details anchored in multilingualism, including the "3-language formula", the mother tongue as the medium of instruction, and the promotion of both classical and regional languages. The literature review focuses on the existing studies which are addressing the multilingual education’s advantages and drawbacks. A part of the discussion and analysis chapter will focus on possible both positive and negative influence of the NEP 2020 on India’s language diversity, education, and social coherence. The final section of the article re-emphasizes on the effectiveness of the implementation process and follow-up procedure to ensure that the multilingual approach under NEP 2020 will have successful outcomes.

DOI: 10.22161/ijels.91.46