Background

India‟s linguistic, cultural, ethnic, religious diversity is very strong and wide spread. Heterogeneity and multilingualism is not a recent product. It goes back to the time when Aryans came to India with Sanskrit and thereafter many came, invaded and settled in India and with them was their languages.

The Present Status

India has,now, 23 constitutionally recognized official languages. And there are several hundreds of language varieties in India. Hindi is the most spoken language in India, while English, too, has a very strong hold in this country.

39%

8.30%

7.80%

7.45%

6.30%

5.18%

4.48%

3.69% 3.21%

Major Languages in India , and the % of People who use each language

Hindi

Bengali

Telugu

Telugu

Tamil

Urdu

Gujarathi

Kannada

Malayalam

WOW……. Census of India of 2001 says that India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages

As India had been

being ruled by

different rulers

throughout the

history, she kept a

particular language

policy during

different regimes,

based on the interest

of the community of

the ruling class.

During the Vedic

Period and Epic

Period, the major

language of

Instruction in the

Educational Process

was Sanskrit, the

language of the upper

cast people

During the Budhist

Period, they started

using Pali, the

language of the

common folk at their

Viharas for educational

transaction

During the Medieval

or Islamic Period in

India, Arabic and

Urdu became more

Prominent in all walks

of life and educational

institutions, as well.

And after the emergence of Britishers to India, the whole picture of Education was altered , and the language policy, too

Though, at the initial stage of their educational system, they had given regard to vernacular languages, they gradually started giving focus only to English

And it was Macaulay, who, at first, stood for English, and he made it mandatory that English should be the medium of Instruction at all the stage of education

Macaulay’s policy caused for infamous Oriental-Occidental Controversy which became a huge hurdle before the educational development of that time.

Later, Charls Wood, in his Dispatch, recommended that vernacular language could be used at the primary stage, and English at the higher stage.

How ever, throughout the British rule, English enjoyed the supreme position, and the Indian Languages hardly got due regard.

During 1930s Gandhiji argued for mother tongue as medium of instruction in his educational views called Wardha Scheme, as he believed that mother tongue is the most useful weapon for expressing one’s own ideas

Any how, Gandhiji did not supported the argument of Congress that Hindi should be promoted, as he feared that Muslims would be segregated from the main stream

Post Independent Language Policy in India

The Constitution, too, offers many provisions, regarding with language

Articles 343–351 of Part XVII and

the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of

India deal with issues of the

languages of the country

“The official language of the Union shall be

Hindi in Devanagari

script.”

“English can be used for all official

purposes as a language of vital opportunities and

international contact.”

“Official communication between States

and Union should be in the Official language of the

Union i.e. Hindi.”

“English can be used for all legal purposes eg. For bills, procedures

of court etc.”

State should provide adequate facilities for

instruction in the mother-tongue at the

primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic

minority groups

State should take necessary steps to

promote and spread Hindi as a national

link language.

In1952, Muthaliyar Commission, recommended Three Language Formula which stated that mother tongue should be taught at primary stage and English and Hindi should be introduced later.

In 1966, Kothari Commission put forth a revised or modified Three Language Formula which stated that along with Mother tongue English and Hindi should be taught at non-Hindi states while instead of Hindi, any other modern South Indian language should be taught at Hindi speaking states

The Three Language Formula Fetched

people protest in south Indian states like

Tamilnadu that they were ready to accept

Hindi as second language

Most of the Hindi Speaking states is, now,

following Hindi, English and

Sanskrit formula

Some non-Hindi speaking states like Tamil Nadu a two language

formula i.e. Mother tongue

and English

The states like Orissa, West Bengal, and

Maharashtra still follows the real three language

formula i.e. Hindi + English+ a

modern south Indian language

The Present Status of Three Language Formula

It offers multi lingual capacity It facilitates learning of national

language It facilitates learning of

International Language It promotes national integration Learning of mother tongue

helps in cultural preservation Learning of English provides

global identity Learning of Hindi widens

opportunities Learning of mother tongue

facilitates expression of ideas

Merits and Demerits of Three Language Formula

It often creates administrative confusion

The south Indian people feel that Hindi is imposed on them.

It often becomes a burden for children to learn three languages together before mastering the mother tongue.

Merits Merits

MLE ( Multi Lingual Education)

Multi Lingual Education (MLE) is

one of the latest trends in Education all over the world in which children start learning their mother tongue, and

moves towards learning second

language only after mastering the mother tongue

Features of MLE

Strong foundation: Studies tell that children who

starts their education in their own language show

better performance during later studies

Strong Bridge : Systematic Bridging occurs between

learning of mother tongue and learning of the second

language in MLE Programmes

Stages of MLE Programme

Entire Learning in L1

Fluency in L1 and Introduction of Oral L2

Oral Fluency in L2 & Introduction of L2 Literacy

Using L1 as well as L2 for Life Long Learning

Bases of MLE Programme

Critical Pedagogy of Poulo Frier

‘ Common Sense Theory’ of Antonio Gramski

Social Constructivism of Vigostky

Cognitive Theory of Piaget