Why in the News?

The Central government and the Tamil Nadu government are disagreeing over the three-language rule in schools under the New Education Policy (NEP), 2020.

Why is the Union government withholding funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan from Tamil Nadu?

• Non-compliance with the three-language formula: The Union government has linked the release of funds under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan to the implementation of the three-language formula outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Tamil Nadu’s refusal to adopt this formula has led to a standoff.
• Policy disagreement: The Tamil Nadu government views the three-language policy as a tool for Hindi imposition and insists on continuing with its two-language policy (Tamil and English).
• Financial leverage: The Centre is using financial incentives to push for uniform adoption of the NEP guidelines across States, causing friction with Tamil Nadu.

What difficulties do government schools face in implementing additional language courses?

• Shortage of Qualified Language Teachers: Many government schools lack trained teachers for third-language instruction. Example: In rural Odisha, schools often struggle to find Hindi teachers, affecting the implementation of the three-language formula.
• Limited Resources and Infrastructure: Schools lack textbooks, teaching aids, and language labs, making it difficult to provide quality language education. Example: Government schools in Bihar face a shortage of English textbooks, leading to poor learning outcomes.
• Burden on Students and Poor Learning Outcomes: Many students struggle to grasp multiple languages simultaneously, especially those from economically weaker backgrounds. Example: In Tamil Nadu, students from rural areas find it difficult to learn Hindi as a third language due to limited exposure and practice opportunities.

What are the basic issues in Schools? 

• Poor Learning Outcomes: ASER 2022 found 60% of Class V students unable to read a Class II-level text. Similarly, ASER 2023 revealed 25% of youth (14-18 years) cannot fluently read basic texts in their regional language, highlighting foundational literacy gaps.
• Inadequate Public Investment in Education: Despite the NEP 2020 target of 6% of GDP, actual spending on education remains at 4-4.5% of GDP. This underfunding restricts access to quality resources, affecting learning outcomes, especially in rural areas.
• Disparity in Funding Allocation: 85% of elementary education costs are borne by States, while the Centre contributes only 15%. This fiscal imbalance creates unequal resource distribution, impacting teacher availability and infrastructure quality in less-developed regions.

What are the constitutional provisions regarding the official languages of the Union and the States in India?

• Official Language of the Union (Article 343): Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union.
  • English was to be used for official purposes for 15 years after the Constitution came into effect (until 1965), but the Official Languages Act, 1963 extended its use indefinitely alongside Hindi.
• Language of the States (Article 345): State legislatures can adopt one or more languages in use in the State or Hindi as the official language for State administration. Example: Tamil Nadu uses Tamil, Punjab uses Punjabi, and Maharashtra uses Marathi as their official languages.
• Promotion of Hindi (Article 351): It is the Union’s duty to promote the spread of Hindi to serve as a medium for all elements of India’s composite culture while drawing from Sanskrit and other Indian languages.

• Safeguard for Linguistic Minorities (Article 350A & 350B)

• • 350A: The State must provide primary education in the mother tongue of linguistic minority groups.
  • 350B: Establishment of a Special Officer for Linguistic Minorities to investigate and report on their safeguards.

What steps can be taken to resolve the conflict between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government? (Way forward)

• Promote Cooperative Federalism through Dialogue: Establish a joint consultative body to discuss language policies and ensure that both regional concerns and national goals are addressed. Example: Regular Centre-State meetings under the Inter-State Council could facilitate consensus on the language policy without coercion.
• Grant Flexibility in Implementing Language Policies: Allow States to adapt the three-language policy based on their linguistic diversity and educational capacity while ensuring basic proficiency in major languages. Example: Tamil Nadu could continue its two-language policy while introducing optional third-language courses without affecting funding under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.

Mains PYQ:

Q National Education Policy 2020 isin conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal-4 (2030). It intends to restructure and reorient education system in India. Critically examine the statement. (UPSC IAS/2020)

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