CBSE Allows Schools To Teach In Mother Tongue till Class 12, Asks To Focus On Multilingual Education

According to CBSE, the minister of education has directed the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) to prepare the new textbooks in 22 scheduled Indian languages and these will be made available from the 2024-25 academic session.

New Delhi: In a move to promote multilingual education in the country, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has allowed schools to offer education in regional languages right from pre-primary to Class XII. This, as per CBSE, is in accordance to provisions of the NEP 2020 which “emphasizes the significant cognitive advantages of multilingualism for young learners, particularly when they are exposed to multiple languages from foundational stage, with a specific focus on their mother tongue.”

According to CBSE, the minister of education has directed the National Council for Education Research and Training (NCERT) to prepare the new textbooks in 22 scheduled Indian languages and these will be made available from the 2024-25 academic session. NEP is completing three years this month and the new school curriculum is also expected to be announced to mark the occasion.

“Schools may explore the available resources, consult with experts in the field, and collaborate with other schools to share best practices to make multilingual education in CBSE schools a reality,”  CBSE Director (Academic) Joseph Emmanuel said in a letter to schools.

The board noted the challenges posed by the implementation of multilingual education and utilization of mother tongue as a medium of instruction which include availability of skilled teachers capable of teaching multilingual subjects, the creation of high-quality multilingual textbooks and time limitation, especially in two-shift government schools.

“The NCERT has taken this serious task on highest priority so that textbooks in 22 scheduled languages can be made available to all students from next sessions,” CBSE said.

The school education board went on to say that the higher education authority has also started providing education in multiple languages and is conducting exams in different languages. The textbooks in technical, medical, vocational, skill, law education, etc. are now being available in Indian languages

CBSE further said that this initiative makes it important for schools to become the foundation of multilingual education

“Since higher education has started responding to this need then school education has to become its foundation. The approach towards medium of instruction should be a continuity from school education to higher education. Therefore, the schools affiliated to CBSE need to play a vital role in this great endeavour by offering education through Indian languages,” Emmanuel said.

“One of the major steps taken now is the direction by the Ministry of Education to NCERT for preparing new textbooks through 22 scheduled Indian languages. The NCERT has taken this serious task on highest priority so that textbooks in 22 scheduled languages can be made available to all students from next sessions,” he said.

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