For marginalised, NEP’s three-language policy a burden, say experts

CHENNAI: A major language war has once again erupted after decades over the recent tussle between the DMK government in the State and the BJP-led Centre over the National Education Policy (NEP) and its three-language push.

The Centre has urged the TN government to implement the Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) in exchange for rightful funds under the Integration of School Education scheme.

The war of words began a couple of weeks ago when Chief Minister MK Stalin and School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi condemned the union government for diverting the funds meant for TN to BJP-lead states like Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

The release of the rightful funds of Rs 2,152 crore under the Samagra Shikha (SS) scheme is part of the 60 per cent share of the Rs 3,533 crore approved by the board.

In the arm-twisting attempt by the Union government, it urged TN to accept PM SHRI to receive funds under SS, which will eventually mean accepting the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the three-language policy.

Meanwhile, amidst the heated debate regarding the implementation of the three-language policy in TN, several stakeholders pointed out that pushing a third language on children will put added pressure on them, driving most, especially those from the economically weaker sections, out of schools. Additionally, stakeholders claim that with the growth of technology, learning an additional language is 'futile'.

From education being a fundamental right for everyone, implementation of NEP will turn 'education' into a commodity only some can afford in future, allege experts.

"NEP/three-language policy would affect children from economically weaker backgrounds, including Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (SCs/STs)," said Aazhi Senthil Nathan, language rights activist.

He further stressed that the government's attempt to impose the three-language policy and NEP is an effort to uproot the local language from the state-run schools in TN and in non-Hindi-speaking states.

And, for teaching Hindi in non-Hindi-speaking states, the 2019-20 union budget allocated Rs 50 crore during the same time that the NEP was to be launched. However, educationalists argue that the centre didn't seem to allocate any funds in the same budget or after for appointing other language teachers in Hindi-speaking regions.

Though the centre might provide more options in learning other languages, there are seldom efforts to appoint other language teachers, besides Hindi.

Incidentally, PB Prince Gajendra Babu, the general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System (SPCSS-TN), questioned whether the government can employ a Marathi teacher if the child opts to study it as a language of choice.

"Now that NEP has given the flexibility of choosing the third language, can enough teachers be employed for any language the child chooses? However, in reality, lack of teachers will push students to take tuition along with additional stress to clear the language paper, "explained Prince.

What is Tamil Nadu Tamil Learning Act, 2006

During the tenure of K Karunanidhi, between 2006 and 2011, the DMK government then rolled out the TN Tamil Learning Act - to provide learning of Tamil as one of the subjects in all schools of TN - which is effective till date.

"The policy decision has been taken by the TN government to ensure that all students studying in classes I to X of all schools in this state to learn Tamil as one of the subjects, in a phased manner, from the academic year 2006-2007,"the Act stated.

In the 2-language policy of TN - part 1 Tamil (compulsory), part 2 English (compulsory), part 3- other subjects (Mathematics, Science, Social Science, etc.), part 4 - students who do not have either Tamil or English as their mother tongue can study their mother tongue as an optional subject.

In 2012, the amendment said that all schools functioning in TN, including CBSE and ICSE, except special schools like Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navodaya Vidyalaya and others started for special purposes, must follow the TN Tamil Learning Act, which is effective today.

What is the threat to the national integrity by not learning Hindi, which has been followed for several decades? ask educationalists. "Integration is different from imposition. The centre is keen on imposing Hindi in the pretext of a three-language policy, which will have drastic effects on children's future if implemented, "explains Prince.

This is diverting from the real issue of providing equitable and accessible quality of education to all, he argues. "The children and others who have studied under the two-language policy have outperformed themselves, from involvement in society's development to working in government sectors. But, those who have studied in CBSE have largely become products of foreign companies, "he said.

Performance of TN students with the two-language policy

Tamil Nadu is an ideal example of how expertise in one subject alone can be beneficial for the youth and their future, say educationists.

For instance, getting expertise in one language, which is English, as far as students in TN are concerned, allowed them to become skilful in a particular subject and use Tamil for communication within the state.

Referred to as the 'Rocket Man of India', the former chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) K Shivan, belonging to Kanyakumari, is also one who pursued education in Tamil medium in a government school.

Followed by Mylswamy Annadurai, a scientist and former director of ISRO who had extensively contributed to projects like Chandrayaan 1 and Mangalyaan. Annadurai, too, pursued his education at a government school in Kodhavady near Pollachi.

Adding another feather to the achievers who studied in the two-language policy of the TN government is P Veeramuthuvel of Villupuram who studied in a railway school and went on to become a project director of Chandrayaan 3.

Subsequently, another product of a TN government school is Nigar Shaji of Tenkasi district, who went on to become an aerospace engineer with ISRO.

"When a child expertises in one language, which is English in the case of TN, he/she can go on to become skilful in the particular field of their interest like chemistry, biology, commerce, mathematics and engineering. And, another language, Tamil, will be useful in everyday interaction, "said Ratna Sabapathy, retired professor of Teachers' College in Saidapet.

But, by avoiding the third language, the child needlessly will not be enrolled in tuition for clearing Hindi/ Sanskrit or other languages, he says.

The downside of NEP 2020

Though the NEP was rolled out in 2020, which received criticisms from various quarters, the union government is keen on implementing it in all states. The TN government opposing the same also formed a high-level committee led by former Madras High Court Judge D Murugesan- to formulate the State Education Policy (SEP) for TN.

Meanwhile, the TN government is yet to release the SEP, formulated both for school and higher education, despite submitting the same to CM MK Stalin in July 2024.

Throughout the years, stakeholders have highlighted the downside of implementing NEP and the policy having drastic effects on students, especially those from oppressed communities.