NCERT Initiates Courses for Parents and Teachers to Master 22 Indian Languages

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) is set to introduce comprehensive language courses tailored for parents, teachers, and students, covering all 22 scheduled Indian languages. Offering flexibility, these courses will be accessible in both English and Hindi mediums, targeting the 2024-25 academic session. As part of the National Education Policy 2020's commitment to promoting Indian languages, these initiatives aim to address the challenges faced by languages, with UNESCO recognizing 197 Indian languages as "endangered."

Aligned with the policy's vision, NCERT's language courses respond to the need for integrated teaching and learning of Indian languages at all education levels. The courses, available on the Diksha or Swayam portals, emphasize the importance of creating a robust stream of high-quality learning materials, including textbooks, videos, plays, poems, novels, and more, to ensure the vibrancy and relevance of Indian languages.

Drawing inspiration from the Bhasha Sangam initiative launched in 2021 for school students, NCERT's new endeavor extends beyond schools, encompassing parents and teachers. Bhasha Sangam, known for its short dialogues and 100 commonly-used sentences, promoted language diversity and cultural understanding. Additionally, NCERT is actively developing textbooks for students across the 22 Indian languages.

In tandem with NCERT's efforts, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) is encouraging its affiliated schools to embrace Indian languages as a medium of instruction. Emphasizing multilingualism, CBSE advocates using the home language, mother tongue, local language, or regional language as the medium of instruction until at least Class 5, preferably extending to Class 8 and beyond. These initiatives collectively reflect a concerted drive towards fostering linguistic diversity and preserving the rich tapestry of Indian languages.