Lok Sabha Question No. 3922 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-18
Subject: Teaching and Learning in Indian Languages in Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Sambit Patra

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3922 ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025

## Teaching and Learning in Indian Languages in Schools

†3922. Dr. Sambit Patra:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any guidelines to promote teaching and learning in Indian languages in school education and higher education and if so, the details thereof;
- (b)  whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  long-term  plans  to  prepare  textbooks  to promote teaching and learning in Indian languages and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any action plan for teacher training programme to promote teaching and learning in Indian languages in the Indian education system and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a) to (c)  National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 (Para 4.11, 4.12, 4.13, and 4.14) provides for multilingualism and the same is the guiding force in the development of the textbooks. One

of the fundamental principles of NEP, 2020 that will guide both the education system at large, as well as the individual institutions, is promoting multilingualism and the power of language

in  teaching  and  learning.  Further  NEP,  2020  (Para  4.32)  emphasizes  on  the  availability  of textbooks in all regional languages.

As a follow up of NEP, 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE)  2023  following  initiatives  have  been  taken  in  the  area  of  School  Education  to promote Indian languages-

- i. Textbooks  of  NCERT  viz.  Science,  Mathematics,  Social  Science,  Art  Education, Environmental Education, Health and Well-being, etc. developed have been translated
2. into 22 Indian language and in English and are available for use by states and all school systems. These books can be accessed at https://ncert.nic.in/textbook.php
- ii. NCERT undertakes training and professional development programmes for teachers, teacher  educators  and  other  educational  personnel  on  regular  basis.  All  aspects  of school  education  content  enrichment,  pedagogical  knowledge  and  practices,  socialemotional  skills,  vocational  skills,  health  education  and  well-being,  leadership  are included in the training. NCERT conducts a special training programme for teachers from  national  level  school  systems  and  teachers  in  the  states  known  as  NISHTHA (National Initiative for School Heads' and Teachers' Holistic Advancement) and this programme  covers  teachers  from  states  also.  Language  education  and  language pedagogy and teaching learning of Indian languages is one of the major focuses of the programme.
- iii. Guidelines and advocacy materials for Foundational Stage have been developed and disseminated to states and other national and state level agencies involved in school education. The materials are available on https://ncert.nic.in/ NCERT website.
- iv. Development of Primers in all Indian languages: Primer is the first book for learners and for anyone in the language to learn and get familiarised with the language through visual, text form and to notice and use language in contexts. Primers are available on NCERT and Ministry of Education Website. https://ncert.nic.in/primers.php Central Institute  of  Indian  Languages  (CIIL),  Mysuru  and  NCERT  have  jointly  developed Primers in all 117 mother tongues listed in the Census of India. The Primers are aimed at documenting and teaching the languages in school.
- v. Bhasha  Sangam  under  Ek  Bharat  and  Shrestha  Bharat: Government  of  India initiated  a  nationwide  programme  to  promote  all  Indian  language  through  the programme  of  Bhasha  Sangam.  Children  in  school  learn  100  sentences  in  the  22 scheduled  languages  with  audio  and  video  support.  The  progarmme  has  been  in implementation last seven years and schools across the country are participating and learning the Indian languages. Both textual and audio-video materials are available on DIKSHA portal at https://ncert.nic.in/bs-2021.php
- vi. Multilingual Jadui Pitara: Jaadui Pitara has been developed as an exemplar of content needed in any school for the Foundational Stage. It represents a wide range of useful content  and  demonstrates  the  sensibilities  (age-appropriate,  sensory  experience  and local) to be kept in mind while developing such content. The Pitara has toys, games, puzzles, puppets, posters, flashcards, story cards, story books, playbooks for students,

and teacher handbooks. The core transformative aspect of NCFFS is 'learn through play'.  The  NCF-FS  describes  how  children  at  this  stage  learn  best  through  play  through activity and doing. Children enjoy learning in several ways - talking, listening, using toys, working with material, painting, drawing, singing, dancing, running, and jumping. Jaadui Pitara is available in 22 Indian languages and also on NCERT website https://diksha.gov.in/jadoo/explore.html  Jaadui  Pitara  has  also  been  converted  into digital form and available in 22 languages on https://ejaaduipitara.ncert.gov.in/explorejaadu.html

- vii. Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav: Government of Indian has directed all educational institutions and schools to celebrate Great Tamil poet, Subramania Bhartathi's birthday as Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav in December every year with lots of activities. Schools, teacher education and  other  educational  institutions  are  celebrating  Indian  language  through  various cultural, ethnic and social and academic activities. December 11 is the final day of the Utsav in which schools and other institutions are showcasing their Indian languages activities in their schools.
- viii. The Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp (BBSC) 2025, launched on 19th May 2025, aims to encourage students to learn one more Indian language of their choice. It seeks to promote multilingualism among school students in a joyful and engaging way, enabling them to experience the linguistic and cultural unity of Indian languages. The camp helps students  acquire  basic  conversational  skills  in  an  Indian  language  other  than  their mother  tongue and fosters mutual respect, cultural appreciation, and national integration through language learning. As on 13 th  August 2025, BBSC has recorded a total  participation  of  5.26  crore  across  themes  from  27  States/Union  Territories (UTs)/Autonomous  Bodies,  with  the  language  basket  comprising  74  languages, including 22 scheduled languages.

As per recommendations of NEP 2020, University Grants Commission (UGC) in collaboration with Bharatiya  Bhasha Samiti (BBS) has conceptualized a project 'ASMITA' to promote a culture  of  academic  writing  and  translation  of  textbooks  in  Higher  Education.  Under  this project, 23 nodal universities were identified with their nominated member universities from their respective states for identifying authors for writing/preparing original text-books in 22 Bharatiya  Bhasha  for  Undergraduate  (UG)  level  courses.  Till  date,  759  books  have  been proposed by the Nodal Universities and more than 1089 potential authors have been identified for  writing/translation  of  text-books  in  22  Bharatiya  Bhasha  for  Undergraduate  (UG)  level courses.   The projected plan is to produce 1000 textbooks each in 22 languages, altogether

22,000 books.

A comprehensive Digital Dashboard has also been developed with extensive features for data management and coordination of the project. The Dashboard has been designed to provide real time status about the book writing process. It has log-in facilities for all the stakeholders.

Further,  since  Education  is  a  subject  under  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution,  the respective  State  and  Union  Territory  (UT)  Governments  may  decide  on  the  modalities  for promotion of multilingualism, in accordance with the spirit and recommendations of the NEP, 2020, keeping in view local needs, linguistic diversity, and implementation feasibility.

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