CBSE Mandates Mother Tongue Instruction

Paper: GS – II, Subject: Society and Social Justice, Topic: Social Sector-Education, Issue: Strengthening classrooms for quality education.

Context:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released about 30 circulars mandating the implementation of Mother Tongue Instruction in foundational and preparatory stages of schooling. This aligns with directives from NEP 2020 and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023.

Key Highlights:

Evolution of Language Policy:

Key committees that supported Mother Tongue Instruction education:

Psychological and Pedagogical Basis of Mother tongue: Studies show

• Children learn better in their home language.
• Enhances emotional security, concept clarity, and retention.
• Unfamiliar languages disconnect children from real-world experiences and hinder cognitive development.
• Helps bridge multiple intelligences and lived experiences.

Challenges in Implementing Mother Tongue Instruction:

Teacher Preparedness:

• Most are trained in English or Hindi, not in multilingual pedagogy.
• Lack of lesson plans and evaluation strategies for Mother Tongue Instruction teaching.

Institutional Readiness:

• Existing English-medium systems are deeply entrenched.
• Policy may become tokenistic if implemented without adequate training and resources.

Parental Aspirations:

• Parents often equate English-medium education with success.
• There exists an aspirational mismatch between parental goals and policy intentions.

Teacher Concerns:

• Overburdened with new expectations without proper support.
• Pressure to implement without conceptual clarity or training.
• Fear of being blamed for poor outcomes.

Cultural Dynamics:

• English-medium education seen as a pathway to opportunity.
• Media and peer pressure reinforce the superiority of English.
• Risk of creating regressive outcomes if Mother Tongue Instruction policy is imposed without dialogue.

Way ahead: Dialogue, Not Diktat

• Consultation: Mother tongue-based education should be implemented through consultation with parents and teachers via pilot programs, community engagement, and teacher training.
• Collaboration: Mother tongue education should not be seen as a top-down directive, but as a collaborative effort. Schools should receive 2–3 years of transition time.
• Customised curriculum: Be provided with customized curriculum, resources, and oral/narrative-based pedagogies.

Conclusion:

The CBSE’s mother tongue policy aligns with global best practices. Success depends on:

• Empathy, training, and time.
• Shifting from policy mandates to community dialogue.
• Recognizing language as a bridge, not a barrier

https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/blackboards-ai-new-indian-classroom-for-techade-9951138

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