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Time of India
an hour ago
- General
- Time of India
India's three-language promise lost in translation across states amid politics & poor planning
India's three-language policy, designed to promote multilingualism and national integration, is facing serious challenges on the ground. Despite its clear goals, the policy is faltering due to a mix of inadequate resources, lack of trained teachers, and inconsistent implementation across states, reported TOI. olitical differences, regional preferences, and administrative hurdles have turned what should be a unifying educational framework into a fragmented and often neglected mandate. As a result, the 'third language' — meant to broaden students' cultural and linguistic horizons — is frequently reduced to a poorly taught, unpopular subject, undermining the very objectives the policy aims to achieve. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Free P2,000 GCash eGift UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo Bengal: makeshift teaching, minimal incentives In West Bengal, the State Education Policy was launched as a counterbalance to the NEP , with the third language beginning only in Class 5. But finding someone to teach it is a challenge. Live Events Principals juggle staffing needs by hiring retired or part-time teachers on token honorariums. 'We brought in a Sanskrit teacher who works voluntarily, and a Hindi teacher who earns ₹5,000,' says Amit Sen Majumder of Jodhpur Park Boys' School in Kolkata. Parent cooperation is also fragile. Anjana Dutta, whose son is in Class 7, says, 'It's only taught for two years. Parents and students don't see the point. The government should make it more useful and consistent.' While Bengali remains compulsory from Class 1, and reading outcomes have seen some gains—71.3% of Class 8 students can now read Class 2-level texts, according to ASER 2024—there's widespread concern over declining engagement and teaching quality for other languages. Bihar: Gaps between policy & ground reality In Bihar, the three-language policy exists mostly on paper. Most schools offer Hindi and English, with Sanskrit or Urdu as the third language. But many don't have enough teachers—or enough students who show up. 'There are schools where language teachers wait for students and others where students wait for a teacher,' Manoj Kumar, head of the state's primary teachers' association told TOI. Maithili, a constitutionally recognised language spoken across the state's Mithilanchal region, is not taught in most schools. Linguist Bhairav Lal Das calls it a missed opportunity. 'There's rich heritage here. But our education system has no room for that heritage,' he said. Even so, Bihar has seen improvements in reading skills. ASER data shows 41.2% of Class 5 students can read Class 2 texts. Still, the curriculum does little to reflect the state's linguistic richness. Uttar Pradesh: Urdu thrives, Sanskrit struggles In UP, Urdu and Sanskrit are officially part of the curriculum in many government and private schools. Urdu, in particular, finds enthusiastic takers. 'We have 15 Urdu learners in a class of 40, and they aren't all Muslim,' Urdu teacher Mirza Shafiq Husain Shafaq in Lucknow told the news outlet. His classes sometimes stray into poetry and verse, which keeps students interested. Sanskrit, however, doesn't enjoy the same appeal. Recruitment is a bottleneck. 'It's tough to find qualified Sanskrit or Urdu teachers. Science and commerce aspirants are everywhere, but not enough students are pursuing higher studies in these languages,' said Anil Agarwal of St Joseph Institutions. Experts in the state are calling for more investment in teacher training and curriculum planning. 'Language education can't survive on enthusiasm alone,' says Agarwal. 'We need mentoring, workshops, and real policy push.' Karnataka: Native tongues sidelined In linguistically diverse Karnataka, students often speak Kannada, Urdu, or Marathi—but are expected to learn Hindi as a third language. 'It feels foreign to them. They don't hear it in daily life,' Belagavi-based teacher Hema Idagal told TOI. In coastal districts like Mangaluru , community efforts keep languages like Tulu and Konkani afloat. But it's a patchy effort. Tulu is taught in about 40 schools, but there's no structured curriculum beyond Class 10. Konkani survives in just four or five schools. 'Why not formalise our own languages?' asked Joachim Alvares of the Konkani Academy, which pays for teacher salaries without state help. Maharashtra: Early start, few resources Maharashtra mandates third language education from Class 1, but teachers say the move came without warning or preparation. 'There was no training, no staffing, just an order,' Mahendra Ganpule, a former headmaster and education activist, told TOI. In English-medium schools, Marathi becomes the burden; in Marathi-medium schools, English is the challenge. The third language, usually Hindi, is the casualty. Reading outcomes in rural areas have dipped, too—only 50.3% of rural students could read a Class 2 text in 2024, down from 2018. English reading proficiency is worse—only 12.1% of Class 5 students could read basic English sentences. 'There's no demand for some languages, so hiring doesn't happen,' says Zafar Khan, a headmasters' association president. 'No students, no teachers. No teachers, no future for the subject.' The bigger picture: A promise unmet For a country with over a thousand languages and dialects, India's education system offers little room for linguistic diversity beyond the major tongues. The NEP's third-language policy was meant to celebrate this diversity—but has instead created logistical headaches without real results. 'People don't learn languages because the government says so,' linguist Peggy Mohan told the media house. 'They learn what's around them. We're forcing children into a system designed for politics, not pedagogy.' Some educators, though, still believe in its potential. 'Multiple languages build empathy and cultural understanding,' said Prof Madri Kakoti of Lucknow University. 'They open doors to other worlds, other ways of thinking.' But for now, too many of those doors remain shut—not for lack of intent, but for lack of infrastructure, imagination, and will.
Time of India
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Why states struggle to teach the 'third language': Dearth of teachers and lack of clear approach persist; amid confusion and muddled execution of NEP's mandatory three-language policy.
MUMBAI: In the corner of a school corridor in south Kolkata, a retired Sanskrit teacher quietly takes a class without pay. Down the hallway, a part-time Hindi teacher, paid just Rs 5,000 a month, juggles syllabi and student disinterest. These are not isolated cases — they are scenes repeating across campuses of India, where the three-language formula of the National Education Policy (NEP) is a muddled mosaic of politics, policy and pedagogy. The idea is simple on paper: every child in India should learn three languages — preferably the mother tongue, Hindi or English, and one more Indian language. But in practice, the 'third language' is often the orphaned child of the curriculum — chronically underfunded, sporadically taught, rarely enjoyed. NEP recommended three languages to promote 'multilingualism, national unity, and cognitive development.' The policy says: 'The three languages learned by children will be the choices of states, regions, and of the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India.' In essence, the policy is designed to 'balance local relevance with national cohesion and global readiness'. However, linguist Peggy Mohan says, 'Not only does it not help, we don't have teachers to teach it. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch vàng CFDs với mức chênh lệch giá thấp nhất IC Markets Đăng ký Undo They are already overstressed with understanding English texts. Language is not an intellectual accomplishment. People learn languages if demanded by their environment. As usual politicians are loading their issues onto children. ' Bengal: Disinclination and Honorariums In West Bengal, where the State Education Policy was introduced as a counterweight to the Centre's NEP, the third language begins in Class 5 — if schools can find someone to teach it. Hindi or Sanskrit is usually the choice for Classes 7 and 8, or in some cases Urdu, but few institutions allocate full-time teachers for them. So principals improvise. 'We employ a retired Sanskrit teacher on an honorary basis and a part-time Hindi teacher,' says Amit Sen Majumder of Jodhpur Park Boys' School in south Kolkata. However, the pay can be as little as Rs 5,000. Keeping students engaged and convincing parents is equally a daunting task. Anjana Dutta, whose son is in Class 7 at a south Kolkata school, said, 'Students are reluctant to study a third language, knowing it's only for two years. Govt should ensure proper teaching and offer language options that could be useful later.' Incidentally, Bengali is taught compulsorily from Class 1. And while ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) 2024 paints a picture of improvement in the state — 71.3% of Class 8 students can read a Class 2-level text — parents are not entirely impressed with the standards. Bihar: Ghost Classes, Silent Tongues In Bihar, the formula includes Hindi, English and Sanskrit or Urdu — but again, the approach smacks of lip service. 'Some schools have students without teachers; others have teachers without students,' admits ManojKumar, working president, State Primary Teachers' Association. It's not surprising, as sanctioned posts for language teachers has not kept pace with increase in students. Retired Patna University teacher and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Arun Kamal points out that studentshere mostly opt for Sanskrit as third language besides Hindi and English. Even as there is a facility for Bengali teaching in some schools, there are very few teachers for the subject. 'We don't offer enough options. There is no imaginative engagement.' Even Maithili, which is spoken in 148assembly constituencies and has been included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, is not taught in schools as yet. Linguist Bhairav Lal Das says Maithili is a popular language with a rich history but has not yet been made the medium of instruction even in the Mithilanchal (Maithili belt) of the state. 'The education system hasn't caught up with the linguistic richness of the state,' says Das. Yet, paradoxically, Bihar's reading outcomes have improved: 41.2% of Class 5 students can now read Class 2-level texts. Numbers rise, but the languages dwindle. Uttar Pradesh: Two Languages, Too Many Barriers Here, in the country's most populous state, Urdu and Sanskrit are taught from classes 5 to 8 in private schools and is mandatory for classes 6 to 8 in govt- and govt-aided inter colleges. In some, govt students can even choose to study Sanskrit till Class 12. Students opting for Sanskrit are limited though. Most tend to regard Sanskrit as merely a subject to clear in exams. Teachers, however, note that Urdu learning is more widespread because of its use in the literary world. 'In our college, we have 15 Urdu learners in a class of 40. They come from all communities,' says Mirza Shafiq Husain Shafaq, an Urdu teacher in Lucknow. His class sometimes drifts into poetry and shayari. Recruitment of teachers is hard, though. 'We get many science and commerce teachers,' says Anil Agarwal of St Joseph Institutions. 'But, for Sanskrit or Urdu, barely anyone applies.' According to educators and administrators in UP, the challenge is in recruiting postgraduate teachers for Sanskrit and Urdu, as few opt for higher studies in these languages. Agarwal says continuous professional development through workshops, conferences, and online courses would address the shortage. Mentorship programmes to connect experienced educators with newcomers and collaboration by govt bodies with academic institutions in creating policies, he said, would create a conducive environment for teaching these languages. Karnataka: Familiar Scripts, Fading Words In Belagavi, the children speak Kannada, Marathi, Urdu — but not Hindi. 'It feels out of place,' says award-winningteacher Hema Idagal. 'They can't grasp it because they don't hear it.' In Mangaluru, efforts to preserve Tulu and Konkani as third languages are an act of devotion, not policy. Tulu is offered in around 40 schools, but Konkani Academy, footing the salary bill, has no formal funding for it. Konkani's journey is steeper still — just four to five schools now teach it, mostly in Devanagari. 'People ask, why teach what they already speak?' says Joachim Stany Alvares of the academy. 'But if English speakers learn English, why not formalise our own?' Even students who love Tulu find no continuation in pre-university education, making the choice impractical. 'We offer it out of love,' says Dinesh Shettigar, Tulu teacher and drawing instructor, who worries what will happen after his retirement. Maharashtra: Compounding The Confusion Here, teaching the third language begins right from Class 1 — at least in policy. Teachers, however, are reeling from the shock. 'It was never in the original foundational education plan,' says Mahendra Ganpule, ex-vice president of the State Headmasters' Association. 'Then suddenly we were told it must be taught — but with no extra teachers.' In Marathi-medium schools, English is a challenge; in English-medium schools, it's Marathi. A third language, usually Hindi, simply compounds the confusion. The state recently made Marathi compulsory across all schools till Class 10. Hindi, initially mandated till Class 5, was made optional after protests. ASER data shows that in 2024, 50.3% of rural students could read a Class 2 text — down from 2018. English reading proficiency remains dire: just 12.1% of Class 5 students could read basic sentences in 2022. 'Hiring depends on how many students opt for a language,' says Zafar Khan, a headmasters' association president. 'No takers, no teachers.' The Language We Lose For a country that prides itself on linguistic diversity, our classrooms echo the opposite. Third languages are a constitutional promise, a pedagogical gift — but, increasingly, an administrative burden, experts say. Prof Madri Kakoti of Lucknow University offers a hopeful note. 'Multiple languages don't just build neural pathways. They connect us to each other. To learn a third language is to increase cultural understanding between our people, expose our children to the traditions of neighbouring states and their people, and encourage a whole new generation towards humanities and literature. ' But, for that to happen, it must first be taught with purpose — not as a policy checkbox, but as a bridge between a child's tongue and the the corner of a school corridor in south Kolkata, a retired Sanskrit teacher quietly takes a class without pay. Down the hallway, a part-time Hindi teacher, paid just Rs 5,000 a month, juggles syllabi and student disinterest. These are not isolated cases — they are scenes repeating across campuses of India, where the three-language formula of the National Education Policy (NEP) is a muddled mosaic of politics, policy and pedagogy. The idea is simple on paper: every child in India should learn three languages — preferably the mother tongue, Hindi or English, and one more Indian language. But in practice, the 'third language' is often the orphaned child of the curriculum — chronically underfunded, sporadically taught, rarely enjoyed. NEP recommended three languages to promote 'multilingualism, national unity, and cognitive development.' The policy says: 'The three languages learned by children will be the choices of states, regions, and of the students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India.' In essence, the policy is designed to 'balance local relevance with national cohesion and global readiness'. However, linguist Peggy Mohan says, 'Not only does it not help, we don't have teachers to teach it. They are already overstressed with understanding English texts. Language is not an intellectual accomplishment. People learn languages if demanded by their environment. As usual politicians are loading their issues onto children. ' Bengal: Disinclination and Honorariums In West Bengal, where the State Education Policy was introduced as a counterweight to the Centre's NEP, the third language begins in Class 5 — if schools can find someone to teach it. Hindi or Sanskrit is usually the choice for Classes 7 and 8, or in some cases Urdu, but few institutions allocate full-time teachers for them. So principals improvise. 'We employ a retired Sanskrit teacher on an honorary basis and a part-time Hindi teacher,' says Amit Sen Majumder of Jodhpur Park Boys' School in south Kolkata. However, the pay can be as little as Rs 5,000. Keeping students engaged and convincing parents is equally a daunting task. Anjana Dutta, whose son is in Class 7 at a south Kolkata school, said, 'Students are reluctant to study a third language, knowing it's only for two years. Govt should ensure proper teaching and offer language options that could be useful later.' Incidentally, Bengali is taught compulsorily from Class 1. And while ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) 2024 paints a picture of improvement in the state — 71.3% of Class 8 students can read a Class 2-level text — parents are not entirely impressed with the standards. Bihar: Ghost Classes, Silent Tongues In Bihar, the formula includes Hindi, English and Sanskrit or Urdu — but again, the approach smacks of lip service. 'Some schools have students without teachers; others have teachers without students,' admits ManojKumar, working president, State Primary Teachers' Association. It's not surprising, as sanctioned posts for language teachers has not kept pace with increase in students. Retired Patna University teacher and Sahitya Akademi Award winner Arun Kamal points out that studentshere mostly opt for Sanskrit as third language besides Hindi and English. Even as there is a facility for Bengali teaching in some schools, there are very few teachers for the subject. 'We don't offer enough options. There is no imaginative engagement.' Even Maithili, which is spoken in 148assembly constituencies and has been included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, is not taught in schools as yet. Linguist Bhairav Lal Das says Maithili is a popular language with a rich history but has not yet been made the medium of instruction even in the Mithilanchal (Maithili belt) of the state. 'The education system hasn't caught up with the linguistic richness of the state,' says Das. Yet, paradoxically, Bihar's reading outcomes have improved: 41.2% of Class 5 students can now read Class 2-level texts. Numbers rise, but the languages dwindle. Uttar Pradesh: Two Languages, Too Many Barriers H ere, in the country's most populous state, Urdu and Sanskrit are taught from classes 5 to 8 in private schools and is mandatory for classes 6 to 8 in govt- and govt-aided inter colleges. In some, govt students can even choose to study Sanskrit till Class 12. Students opting for Sanskrit are limited though. Most tend to regard Sanskrit as merely a subject to clear in exams. Teachers, however, note that Urdu learning is more widespread because of its use in the literary world. 'In our college, we have 15 Urdu learners in a class of 40. They come from all communities,' says Mirza Shafiq Husain Shafaq, an Urdu teacher in Lucknow. His class sometimes drifts into poetry and shayari. Recruitment of teachers is hard, though. 'We get many science and commerce teachers,' says Anil Agarwal of St Joseph Institutions. 'But, for Sanskrit or Urdu, barely anyone applies.' According to educators and administrators in UP, the challenge is in recruiting postgraduate teachers for Sanskrit and Urdu, as few opt for higher studies in these languages. Agarwal says continuous professional development through workshops, conferences, and online courses would address the shortage. Mentorship programmes to connect experienced educators with newcomers and collaboration by govt bodies with academic institutions in creating policies, he said, would create a conducive environment for teaching these languages. Karnataka: Familiar Scripts, Fading Words In Belagavi, the children speak Kannada, Marathi, Urdu — but not Hindi. 'It feels out of place,' says award-winningteacher Hema Idagal. 'They can't grasp it because they don't hear it.' In Mangaluru, efforts to preserve Tulu and Konkani as third languages are an act of devotion, not policy. Tulu is offered in around 40 schools, but Konkani Academy, footing the salary bill, has no formal funding for it. Konkani's journey is steeper still — just four to five schools now teach it, mostly in Devanagari. 'People ask, why teach what they already speak?' says Joachim Stany Alvares of the academy. 'But if English speakers learn English, why not formalise our own?' Even students who love Tulu find no continuation in pre-university education, making the choice impractical. 'We offer it out of love,' says Dinesh Shettigar, Tulu teacher and drawing instructor, who worries what will happen after his retirement. Maharashtra: Compounding The Confusion Here, teaching the third language begins right from Class 1 — at least in policy. Teachers, however, are reeling from the shock. 'It was never in the original foundational education plan,' says Mahendra Ganpule, ex-vice president of the State Headmasters' Association. 'Then suddenly we were told it must be taught — but with no extra teachers.' In Marathi-medium schools, English is a challenge; in English-medium schools, it's Marathi. A third language, usually Hindi, simply compounds the confusion. The state recently made Marathi compulsory across all schools till Class 10. Hindi, initially mandated till Class 5, was made optional after protests. ASER data shows that in 2024, 50.3% of rural students could read a Class 2 text — down from 2018. English reading proficiency remains dire: just 12.1% of Class 5 students could read basic sentences in 2022. 'Hiring depends on how many students opt for a language,' says Zafar Khan, a headmasters' association president. 'No takers, no teachers.' The Language We Lose For a country that prides itself on linguistic diversity, our classrooms echo the opposite. Third languages are a constitutional promise, a pedagogical gift — but, increasingly, an administrative burden, experts say. Prof Madri Kakoti of Lucknow University offers a hopeful note. 'Multiple languages don't just build neural pathways. They connect us to each other. To learn a third language is to increase cultural understanding between our people, expose our children to the traditions of neighbouring states and their people, and encourage a whole new generation towards humanities and literature. ' But, for that to happen, it must first be taught with purpose — not as a policy checkbox, but as a bridge between a child's tongue and the world. With inputs from Poulami Roy Banerjee, B K Mishra, Mohita Tewari, Ravi Uppar, Deepthi Sanjiv, and Abhishek Choudhari
