Lok Sabha Question No. 1320 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-10
Subject: Primary Education of Tribal Children in their Mother Tongue
Ministry: TRIBAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: Rita Bahuguna Joshi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA (MINISTRY OF TRIBAL AFFAIRS)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1320

TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2020

## PRIMARY EDUCATION OF TRIBAL CHILDREN IN THEIR MOTHER TONGUE

## 1320. SHRIMATI RITA BAHUGUNA JOSHI:

Will the Minister of TRIBAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  steps  toensure  primary  education  of  the  tribal children in their mother tongue;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) the details of the student enrolment and student retention ratios in tribal districts especially in primary and secondary levels;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any steps to raise the cadre of teachers from the local tribal  youth  to  enhance  the  teacher-student  responsiveness  and  employment  opportunities; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRIBAL AFFAIRS (SMT. RENUKA SINGH SARUTA)

(a) & (b): Section 29 (2) (f) of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 states that 'medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be in child's mother tongue'. The National Curriculum Framework  (NCF),  2005 emphasizes the importance of imparting primary education in the mother tongue of the child. Since education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, States have the liberty to decide the medium of instruction in schools. The NCF clearly states that the Three-Language Formula is an attempt to  address  the  challenges  and  opportunities  of  the  linguistic  situation  in  India.  As  per  the 'Three Language Formula' the first language to be studied must be the mother tongue or the regional language.

Ministry  of  Tribal  Affairs  extends  support  to  State  Governments  /  UTs  for  mother  tonguebased education and development  of bilingual Primers for enhancement  of learning achievement level amongst the Scheduled Tribe Students. So far 82 language primers have been developed by various State Governments as detailed below:

| State          | Primers Details   | Language / tribe covered                                                   |
|----------------|-------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Tripura        | 14 Primers        | Kokborak, halam, Mog, Garo, Kuki, Mizo                                     |
| Odisha         | 5 Primers         | Juang, Kisan, Koya, Oram, Saora                                            |
| Maharashtra    | 11 Primers        | Gondi, Halbi, Kokni, Kolami, Korku, Madiya, Mavchi, Pardhi, Pawari, Thakri |
| Madhya Pradesh | 15 Primers        | Halbi, Kudhukh, Bhili, Gondi, Korku,                                       |
| Kerala         | 6 Primers         | Kattunaikan, Paniyan                                                       |

| State        | Primers Details   | Language / tribe covered            |
|--------------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Chhattisgarh | 5 Primers         | Kukudu, Praja, Halbi, Bharia        |
| Jharkhand    | 5 Primers         | Kukudu, Khadia, Khorat              |
| Telangana    | 5 Primers         | Gondi, Koya, Kolami, Kondh, Banjara |
| West Bengal  | 16 Primers        | Olchiki, Kuduk                      |

- (c): As reflected in U-DISE: Flash Statistics 2016-17, details of the student enrolment and student retention ratiosof boys and girls by social category at Primary and Secondary level school are as under:

## Enrolment

| Social Category   | Primary   | Primary   | Primary   | Secondary   | Secondary   | Secondary   |
|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|                   | Boys      | Girls     | Total     | Boys        | Girls       | Total       |
| General           | 16168128  | 14426317  | 30594445  | 5565226     | 5017546     | 10582772    |
| SC                | 12530869  | 11782642  | 24313511  | 3759773     | 3454067     | 7213840     |
| ST                | 6762313   | 6318480   | 13080793  | 1683257     | 1593313     | 3276570     |
| OBC               | 28783449  | 27035694  | 55819143  | 9372215     | 8378457     | 17750672    |

## Dropout

| Social Category   | Primary   | Primary   | Primary   | Secondary   | Secondary   | Secondary   |
|-------------------|-----------|-----------|-----------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
|                   | Boys      | Girls     | Total     | Boys        | Girls       | Total       |
| General           | 4.48      | 4.96      | 4.71      | 15.14       | 16.27       | 15.68       |
| SC                | 8.30      | 7.86      | 8.09      | 23.06       | 21.99       | 22.55       |
| ST                | 8.57      | 8.51      | 8.54      | 27.41       | 26.51       | 26.97       |
| OBC               | 6.10      | 5.79      | 5.95      | 20.28       | 19.77       | 20.04       |

- (d) & (e): Ministry of Tribal Affairs has been issuing advisories to engage local teachers to  overcome shortages and to enhance the teacher student responsiveness and employment opportunities.  Further,  funds  are  also  provided  to  the  State  Governments  for  the  purpose under various schemes of the Ministry based on the proposal received from them.

*****