Does learning Hindi as a third language matter?

• The National Education Policy, 2020, encourages students up to Class 5 to learn a regional language in addition to the local language or mother tongue and English.
• The Central government asserts that the choice of the additional regional language is left to the States.
• Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin dubbed the NEP a “Hindutva policy” aimed at promoting Hindi, rather than focusing on India’s overall development.
• Yogendra Yadav and T.M. Krishna discuss the necessity of learning Hindi as a third language.
• Yadav argues that learning another language is not a burden on students and that the argument that learning more languages creates unity is a smokescreen.
• Krishna believes that teaching a third language only helps the primary and secondary language, and that the formula merits serious consideration on grounds of pedagogy and national unity.
• T.M. Krishna argues that the formula does not make sense in a resource-limited context, as the mother tongue is the mode of learning and communication in class, and English is also used.

Tamil Nadu’s Three-Language Policy: A Political and Pedagogical Challenge

• The Tamil Nadu government’s decision to hold back grants is seen as a political assault on its autonomy.
• The policy raises questions about compulsory learning of a third language, which could also burden schools due to the need for qualified teachers and funds.
• The adoption of the three-language formula as a pre-condition for the release of Central funds for schemes is deemed unconstitutional, unethical, and devoid of any basis.
• The resistance to the policy is not pedagogical but stems from disquiet with double standards, with the expectation that all southern and eastern States would learn Hindi.
• The policy has been sabotaged by north India, with Hindi speakers using Sanskrit as a shortcut to avoid learning a new language.
• Multilingualism is not just a political issue; it’s also pedagogic, with activity-based learning and experiential learning being the focus at the primary and middle-school level.
• The policy is criticized for the false sense of pride that many people in north India have developed, especially in Hindi-speaking areas, that Hindi is a more privileged language than any other language.
• The policy is questioned for its actual implementation, with most north Indian States teaching Hindi along with English and Sanskrit, which has become a way to bypass the requirement of the third language.
• The dominant positioning of Sanskrit in the National Education Policy (NEP) is questioned, as it is a distinct language from other Sanskrit-based or derived languages.
• The policy is argued to be a good idea to nurture multilingualism, but it cannot be imposed on anyone. Students should learn a modern Indian language that is distinct from their mother tongue.