Lok Sabha Question No. 2510 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-04
Subject: Promotion of Multilingualism under NEP 2020
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Dr. Hemang Joshi, Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan, Shri Khagen Murmu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2510 ANSWERED ON - 04/08/2025

## Promotion of Multilingualism under NEP 2020

2510.   Shri Khagen Murmu:

Dr. Hemang Joshi:

Shri Ravindra Shukla Alias Ravi Kishan:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) the key agenda and outcomes of the 2nd Consultative Committee meeting held in Indore;
- (b) the steps taken to promote multilingualism under National Education Policy (NEP), 2020; and

(c) the current status of Bharatiya Bhasha Pustak Pariyojana as per Budget 2025?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (DR. SUKANTA MAJUMDAR)

(a) to (c) The National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 emphasizes the promotion of multilingualism and encourages efforts to keep Indian languages vibrant. It focuses on promotion of all Indian languages, and recommends, wherever possible, the use of the mother tongue/local language as the medium of instruction at least up to Class 5, and preferably up to Class 8.

The agenda of the 2nd consultative committee held in Indore was to focus on the efforts made towards the promotion of Indian languages in education; the promotion of education in Indian languages; and the promotion, preservation and research on Indian languages.

As an outcome of the 2 nd Consultative Committee, it has emerged that the Government of India  has  been  working  towards  achieving  the  mandate  envisaged  in  the  NEP  2020.  The Government is integrating multilingualism at both school and higher education levels by providing reading materials in Indian languages, enabling students to study in their mother tongue/ local language.

Several initiatives have been undertaken to promote Indian languages in higher education and technical fields. AICTE has provided engineering textbooks in 12 Indian languages, while MBA, MBBS, and B.Tech courses are  also available  in  Hindi.  The  Bar  Council  of  India  has introduced bilingual instruction, and 40 institutes across 10 states offer technical courses in Indian languages.  The  first  Marathi-medium  engineering  batch  from  Pimpri  Chinchwad  College  of Engineering (Pune), graduated successfully. Major exams like NET, CTET, NEET, JEE, CUET, and SSC are now conducted in 12 Indian languages. Additionally, the UGC allows students to write exams in local languages, irrespective of the medium of instruction. The Commission for Scientific Technical Terminology has made over 20 lakh terminologies in 22 Indian languages publicly available. Technological advancements include AI-based translation tools developed by the Anuvadini Foundation (AICTE) and the UDAAN Project Team (IIT Bombay) and Bhasini.

Other  notable  achievements  include  the  Hindi  translation  of  34  Classical  Tamil  texts, Tirukkural in Sign Language, AI-generated Chemmozhi Tamil audiobooks, and the creation of Bahu  Bhasha  Shabdakosh  for  digital  dictionaries.  Additionally,  National  Instructional  Media Institute has published 525 skill-based textbooks in 22 languages, and the Hindi Shabd Sindhu Kosh has compiled 4.82 lakh words.

The Department of School Education and Literacy has implemented several key initiatives to  advance  early  literacy  and  multilingual  education  across  India  such  as  development  of  117 primers in 22 Scheduled and 99 Non-Scheduled languages, along with 52 additional primers in local and mother tongues by NCERT and CIIL. Initiatives such as Bhasha Sangam (featuring 100 commonly used sentences in 22 languages), Bhartiya Bhasha Utsav , and the Bharatiya Bhasha Summer  Camp (a  28-hour  flexible  program  focused  on  language  and  cultural  learning)  have fostered greater linguistic and cultural awareness among students. Additionally, 16 language and cultural handbooks for Classes 6 to 9, including in Assamese, Bengali, and Santali, have been developed to reflect regional identities.

Innovative tools like Jaadui Pitara and  its  AI-enabled digital  version, e-Jaadui Pitara , have introduced inclusive, play-based early education in 22 Indian languages, with support for Indian  Sign  Language  (ISL).  DIKSHA  platform  now  offers  multilingual  digital  content  in  36 languages. The PM e-Vidya initiative has expanded to 200 DTH TV channels with vision of 'One Nation, One Digital Platform', delivering curriculum-aligned content in various Indian languages and ISL, enhancing reach and inclusivity of rural areas. Teacher education has also seen major advancements,  notably  through  the  introduction  of  the  4-Year  Integrated  Teacher  Education Programme (ITEP) with a focus on multilingual pedagogy.

As per the budget announcement of 2025-26, Government has proposed to implement a Bharitya Bhasha Pustak Scheme wherein the textbooks and study materials for the subjects being offered for schools and higher education shall be made available in 22 Indian languages in digital form. The Note for EFC for the scheme has been prepared with inputs from various stakeholders through a series of meetings.

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