Puducherry BJP hails CBSE order on regional language as instruction medium

BJP in Puducherry lauds CBSE order to prioritise mother tongue as medium of instruction in schools. PM Modi's emphasis on Tamil language and other regional languages evident. NEP promotes multilingualism for cognitive advantages, with focus on mother tongue. Textbooks in 22 scheduled languages being prepared to facilitate this.

The BJP in Puducherry said on July 23 that the order of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) directing affiliated schools to prioritise the mother tongue or regional language as the medium of instruction under the National Education Policy (NEP) laid bare the divisive politics and fear-mongering by Opposition parties that the NEP would lead to Hindi imposition and undermining of the regional languages.

In a statement, V. Saminathan, BJP State president termed the announcement an unprecedented step in preserving the prominence of the local language as the medium of education and said textbooks were being prepared in 22 scheduled languages for this purpose under instructions of the Ministry of Education to the National Council of Educational Research and Training.

The CBSE order was in accordance with the NEP’s emphasis on the significant cognitive advantages of multilingualism for young learners, particularly when they are exposed to multiple languages from the foundational stage, with a specific focus on their mother tongue. The policy strongly advocates for utilising the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language. the medium of instruction whenever feasible, at least until Grade 5, but preferably extending till Grade 8 and beyond.

Mr. Saminathan said the order paved the way for delivering education with Tamil as the medium of instruction in Tamil Nadu.

The order made evident Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on giving importance to Tamil language and other languages, he said.