- Indisputably, the mother tongue plays an extremely crucial role in shaping our individuality in society is stating the obvious and needs no further elaboration. The issue of mother tongue and other languages is a peculiar phenomenon in India, a vastly diverse, divergent, and dynamic country. The vibrancy associated with India, particularly in terms of caste, creed, class, ethnicity, linguistics, religion, and other such diversity across its vast landscape, is a unique feature in itself. The country is bonded by a common rich heritage and legacy, interspersed with region-wise culture, tradition, and history, making it a kaleidoscopic experience for those concerned. In all this, the language also plays an extremely crucial role in further binding the regions.
PC: The Hindu
- India is also a country with so many languages and dialects that it makes any outsider go bonkers while listening to them, let alone conversing. Why do outsiders, even Indians from different regions, find it greatly challenging to comprehend the local languages being spoken in a particular area? As you are aware, the third language debate is raging across the country, with many BJP-opposed states up in arms against the policy. The latest drama panned out in Maharashtra, though a BJP-ruled state. The moot point to ponder over here is whether the third language issue is really going to help the state’s students. Let’s delve to infer the matter. Think about it, Indian children would be awash in prosperity if everything done in education’s name were actually about it.
PC: The Federal
- Maharashtra is the latest to show that, instead, such decision-making is driven by cynical politics. For the uninitiated, first, the Fadnavis government made Hindi mandatory as the third language from Class 1 to 5, then made it optional. Next, estranged cousins in Maharashtra politics came together in protest. Finally, the government withdrew the orders and formed a committee. The incumbent government’s game to play foot soldier to the Centre and the cousins’ endeavour to raise fading political capital were both patently obvious, neither taking up the cudgels for students. Aser 2024 (rural) reports that only 37% of children in Class 3 can read Class 2 Marathi text, moving up a meagre 3 percentage points over the last decade. That’s alarming to say the least.
PC: Shiksha
- Have you heard anything from the Marathi-defending political warriors about how to improve this? As for leaders who are pumped up about the teaching of a third language, do you ever hear them engage with how teaching resources that fail to impart current reading goals will deliver significantly expanded KRAs? Of course not. Today’s language wars are inflicting greater damage on modern India. The idea that the survival of one Indian language hangs on injury to another is translating into actual violence. Mind you, it hurts migrants, it hurts national wellness. Also, villainizing English, now a core Indian strength, does the same. We expect our political leadership to be practical, rational, and logical in disallowing language chauvinism.
