“Couldn’t have come at a more apt time”: UGC Chairman on CBSE allowing to offer education in Indian languages

New Delhi [India], July 22 : University Grants Commission (UGC) Chairman Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar on Saturday said that the decision of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) allowing schools to offer education in Indian languages right from pre-primary to Class XII, will provide a steady stream of students to Higher Educational Institutions.
Taking to Twitter the UGC Chairman said that the move will make the students creative and innovative.
“With UGC promoting Indian languages in higher education, CBSE's decision to use Indian languages as an alternative medium of instruction from primary classes to class 12 could not have come at a more opt (apt) time. The school and higher education systems working together to promote Indian languages in education will provide a steady stream of students to Higher Educational Institutions who can think and work in Indian languages, making them creative and innovative,” Jagadesh Kumar said.
In a major move to promote multilingual education in the country, the CBSE has allowed schools to offer education in Indian languages right from pre-primary to Class XII.
Currently, in the majority of the CBSE-affiliated schools the medium of instruction is English and in some education is imparted in Hindi.
In an academic circular to its schools on Friday, the Board said that multilingual education has been widely recognized as a valuable approach to fostering linguistic diversity, cultural understanding, and academic success among students.
“The CBSE affiliated schools may consider using Indian languages, …, as the medium of Instruction from foundational stage till end of secondary stage i.e. from pre-primary classes till class XII as an optional medium in addition to other existing options….,” it added.
The National Education Policy 2020 advocates the use of home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language as the medium of instruction across the education sector starting from schools.
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.
The Board cited the NEP 2020 which emphasises the importance and cognitive benefits of multilingualism for young students.
“Use of Indian languages as an alternative medium of instruction from primary classes to class 12 has been reiterated in this important circular of CBSE,” the board said.
Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on CBSE’s decision tweeted, “Well-done @cbseindia29. This is a laudatory step towards encouraging education in the mother tongue and Indian languages in schools. #NEPInAction”
At present, there are 2.54 crore students studying across 28,886 CBSE-affiliated schools. There are 12.56 lakh teachers in these schools.