What should then be the first, second, and third language of instruction? And also what should be the first, second, and third language to be learned as a subject? Such questions have been agitating our mind because we have over 2400 live languages in India, out of which 15 are widespread regional languages that are recognized by the Union Government and form part of the promise printed in our currency notes. Moreover, we have several dead languages, the most important of which is Sanskrit, containing great knowledge in many subjects including religious texts which are not more than 10 per cent of the repository. English has already emerged as the lingua franca or the means of functional communication and is most desired language to be learned after the regional languages. The spread of English medium schools in even the rural areas of the country indicates the general aspiration even of the poor and underprivileged for their children. It is in this context the issue of language has remained complex, and the politics of various shades have made it even more complex.

The new education policy did not come up with a solution to make the situation simpler. Rather, it has a potential to make the matter worse, even more complex. It is more so because the policy is not based on any empirical study of the need of our children on the language front. Our policy makers want to teach the students on their ideas. There are at least four major groups supporting Hindi, Sanskrit, English, and a regional language in every non-Hindi speaking state. It must be noted that we have been listening to a ‘three-language formula’ for a long time that has utterly failed to solve the problem. In the midst of three-language formula, we have four fighting groups for at least four languages. The new education policy says “wherever possible, the medium of instruction until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8 and beyond, will be the home language/ mother tongue/ local language/ regional language". It introduces the home language as the fifth, mother tongue as the sixth, and the local language as the seventh language. If the policy is implemented in words and spirit, it would be going to make learning of students more complex on the language front.

As for English as a medium of instruction is concerned, the policy does not permit a school before Grade 5. However, the term “wherever possible” gives ample scope for English medium private schools to manage their affairs as usual. If the Union government or state run schools are enforced to implement this policy the dream of universal and equal education to all will be shattered, and the poor and underprivileged will be at receiving end. It also must be noted that at present we do not have even reading material in all the languages, especially on home languages or mother tongues. We do not have even sufficient number of qualified teachers in each language. Given the lackadaisical functioning of the governments, availability of reading material and qualified teachers seem not possible in near future.

Since the medium of instruction will be the home language, or the mother tongue, it would be naturally the first language to be learned. It would necessitate creation of ‘basic language’ for all our languages, which in turn will be possible only after great research and development in that direction. “Basic language” is a simplified form of language having only 850 words capable of expressing 90 per cent of the concepts contained in 25,000 words’ pocket dictionary. Beyond this we need additional words to reach 1000, 1200, 1500, or 2000 words to reach the threshold of standard language. At least this level of education tools will be needed for each language, presuming that our children’s mind is unilingual. However, this presumption is untrue. Almost all the minds have now become multilingual and multicultural, we will need different sort of word power for each region of the country. We will have to conduct empirical studies to ascertain the actual language needs of our children. Before we do that we should not experiment with their future merely on our old ideas.

The second issue relates to teaching the second and third language is so called three language formula. Let us have an example to understand the predicament of a child. If a child’s mother tongue is Mundari, his home language may be a mix of Mundari or Kurukh, the regional language Nagpuri, and the language of the state Hindi. Sanskrit is compulsory. Books are not available. Teachers are not available. When the child would attain the age of 11, he would start learning English, when linguistically speaking, the child’s talent is dwindling. A child is at the height of their linguistic talent at the age of 7, and this talent decreases thereafter. Learning a new language becomes more difficult with age. The world has become a global village with advancement of technology. We cannot afford such a language policy that will jeopardize the future of our children.

Start teaching with “basic language” of the multilingual mind of our children, and then improve upon it slowly with regional and national language, and finally shift to the international language English, as a medium of instruction. Unilingual treatment of multilingual mind may prove harmful. As for language acquisition as a subject, it must be kept optional. (IPA Service)