During the week-long celebrations of ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav’, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan underscored the importance of the mother tongue in children’s education. During the event, he stated that the mother tongue is crucial for nurturing young learners’ creative and critical thinking. His remarks, shared by the Indo-Asian News Service (IANS), highlighted how learning in one’s native language can lead to deeper understanding, better cognitive development, and enhanced emotional intelligence.
In his address during the Utsav, the minister reiterated the government’s commitment to promoting linguistic pride, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of celebrating India’s linguistic diversity. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, according to Pradhan, is expected to catalyse this transformation, fostering an environment where India’s rich linguistic heritage becomes integral to educational excellence.
The Importance of Learning Mother Tongue
Pradhan emphasised the profound role of mother tongue education, stating, “Mother tongue lies at the core of deep learning, because our languages are not just tools of communication—they are repositories of history, tradition, and folklore, preserving the collective wisdom of generations and offering a unique worldview.” According to him, students thrive in an environment where education begins in their native language, fostering not just knowledge acquisition but emotional and intellectual growth. He elaborated on how children, brimming with creativity, perform better when they are taught in their native tongue, seamlessly transitioning from speaking to writing and from vocabulary to subject comprehension.
“Education in the mother tongue fosters a natural progression from basic understanding to complex thought. Bharat’s linguistic diversity is a treasure-trove of both intellectual and cultural wealth,” Pradhan added. His words resonate with the broader national vision of ‘Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat’, where linguistic diversity strengthens national unity.
This view is reinforced by the National Statistical Organisation’s (NSO) report, which shows that more than 50% of students complete secondary education in one of India’s 12 official languages, with Assamese, Bengali, and Gujarati among the top languages used for education. While students from regions speaking languages like Malayalam, Telugu, and Punjabi often choose English by Class X, there remains a strong foundation in vernacular education, especially at the primary level.
State Initiatives Promoting Vernacular Learning
Several Indian states have embraced regional language education, with notable successes in states like West Bengal, Karnataka, and Odisha. West Bengal, with 89.9% of students enrolled in schools using Bengali as the medium of instruction, exemplifies the positive impact of vernacular education. Similarly, Karnataka, where over 53.5% of students prefer Kannada, has adopted various measures to promote regional language learning. Other states such as Odisha and Assam have followed suit, with Assam boasting 91.1% of students from Assamese-speaking backgrounds studying in their native language at the primary level. These statistics, provided by the Unified District Information System (UDISE) report, highlight the widespread support for mother tongue education across the country.
Engineering Education in Vernacular Languages
While the positive impacts are undeniable, challenges remain in promoting the use of regional languages, especially in higher education. This is evident in technical fields such as engineering and medical education, where the integration of vernacular languages faces significant hurdles.
Slow Start and Limited Enrollment: Despite efforts to introduce engineering courses in regional languages as part of the NEP 2020, the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) reports a slow start. In the academic year 2021-22, only 233 out of 1,140 seats allocated for BTech programs in regional languages were filled. This figure showed slight improvement by 2022-23, but many colleges still faced substantial vacancies. Gujarat Technical University, for example, reported no enrollments for its Gujarati-medium courses, indicating that many students remain hesitant to opt for vernacular-based engineering education.
Perception Issues: Many students perceive that pursuing engineering in their mother tongue may limit their employment opportunities. The widespread use of English in technical literature and research adds to this fear, with students worrying about their ability to compete in the global job market.
Resource Limitations: One of the major challenges is the lack of quality educational materials in regional languages. Most textbooks and academic resources are still in English, making it difficult for students to engage fully with the curriculum in their mother tongue. Some institutions have tried to implement bilingual approaches, but these efforts have yet to resolve concerns about language proficiency during placements and exams.
Benefits of learning in Mother Tongue: Cognitive Development and Enhanced Critical Thinking
The educational benefits of teaching in the mother tongue are profound, especially at the primary school level. According to a study by the Indian Statistical Institute, Delhi Centre, students taught in their native language show significant improvements in their academic performance. Research has shown that children taught in their mother tongue experience a 12% improvement in reading scores and a 20% increase in math scores compared to those instructed in a second language. This is because learning in their native language reduces cognitive overload, allowing students to focus on understanding complex concepts rather than struggling with the challenges of a second language.
Fosters Intellectual Development: According to a research paper Understanding the Importance of Mother Tongue Learning, by Rajathurai Nishanthi published by the ResearchGate, children who are taught in their mother tongue experience faster cognitive development and improved intellectual abilities. This is because the familiarity of the language helps them grasp new concepts more quickly, allowing for greater educational success compared to those taught in a second language.
Strengthens Communication Skills: The paper also highlights that children taught in their native language develop stronger communication skills, which are essential for academic success. When children engage in discussions and express ideas in their mother tongue, they refine their language and conceptual understanding, which strengthens their critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
Creates a Strong Cultural Connection: Another key point from the research paper is that learning in a mother tongue helps preserve cultural identity and heritage. By connecting academic learning with their native language, students gain a deeper understanding of their culture and roots, which, in turn, supports their cognitive and emotional development. This cultural connection encourages a sense of pride and boosts confidence, enabling children to engage more meaningfully with the world around them.
Social and Emotional Benefits: Besides cognitive benefits, learning in the mother tongue also positively impacts students’ emotional and social well-being. When children are educated in their native language, they feel a sense of belonging and confidence. This enhances their motivation to learn and participate actively in their education. Moreover, communication between parents and teachers becomes smoother, helping to create a supportive learning environment at home and school. Teaching in the mother tongue also strengthens cultural identity, fostering a sense of pride and connection to one’s heritage.
The Right Balance: Overcoming Challenges in Higher Education
While vernacular education is gaining ground in primary and secondary schooling, its challenges in higher education are still significant. One of the major issues is the limited availability of resources in regional languages. The government needs to invest in creating high-quality educational materials and resources in various vernacular languages to make higher education more inclusive.
Additionally, institutions must standardise evaluation methods to ensure that exams conducted in different languages maintain consistent quality and fairness. Training teachers to teach in regional languages is also critical, as this will ensure effective communication and facilitate a better learning experience.
In countries like Switzerland, South Korea, and Israel, multilingual education has been linked to their success in global innovation rankings. These nations provide valuable lessons for India, demonstrating that fostering a multilingual academic environment can be instrumental in boosting both individual and national achievements.
