Thee-Language Formula

There has been ongoing tension between the Union Government and the Tamil Nadu government over the implementation of the three-language policy as part of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Why is the Three-Language Policy Controversial in Tamil Nadu?

• The three-language formula was first introduced in the NEP of 1968 with the aim of promoting Hindi as a language in non-Hindi speaking States.
• However, this was met with strong resistance and protests in Tamil Nadu, where the state had already adopted a two-language policy, teaching Tamil and English in government schools.
• NEP 2020: The NEP 2020 reintroduces the three-language formula but with a key difference: it does not impose any language on States.
  • The policy specifies that the languages to be taught will be chosen by States, regions, and students, with the only requirement being that at least two of the three languages should be native to India.
• Tamil Nadu’s Stand: Tamil Nadu remains steadfast in maintaining its two-language policy, insisting that the three-language formula is a cover for promoting Hindi imposition and does not align with the state's linguistic and cultural preferences.

What Are the Issues?

• Learning Outcomes: According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) by Pratham, there are significant learning deficits in India’s education system:
  • In Class V, almost 60% of students could not read a Class II level text.
  • In 2023, 25% of youth aged 14-18 years could not read a Class II level text fluently in their regional language, and more than 40% could not read sentences in English.
  • Foundational numeracy skills, such as subtraction and division, are similarly poor among schoolchildren.
• Expenditure on Education: As per the 2022 budget analysis by the Ministry of Education, while the Centre contributes 15% of the total revenue expenditure on elementary education, States bear the remaining 85%.
• Total expenditure on education (elementary to technical education) by both the Centre and States is approximately 4-4.5% of India’s GDP, falling short of the 6% target set by the NEP 2020.

What needs to be done?

• While the idea of learning additional Indian languages in schools is desirable, the existing learning outcomes need to be addressed first. The priority should be to improve the teaching of:
  • Mother tongue or local languages
  • English proficiency
  • Foundational numeracy skills in government schools.
• English, although not native, has become a global language and helps in international competitiveness, especially in sectors like IT and services. Therefore, its proficiency remains essential.

The Need for Autonomy and Constructive Dialogue

• The rapid urbanization and migration trends are expected to increase the number of bilingual and trilingual individuals across India. This implies a growing need for language diversity in schools, but not at the expense of undermining the local languages.
• There needs to be a constructive dialogue between the Centre and Tamil Nadu to ensure that disputes over the three-language formula do not delay funding for education and other state-specific educational needs.
• Given the regional diversities and the financial burden on States, there should be a discussion on providing more autonomy to States in policy matters related to school education.