The Parliament has been informed that the three languages to be learned by school-going children under the National Education Policy (NEP) will be chosen by states, regions, and students, and no language will be imposed on any state.
In a written response, the minister stated that the three languages children will learn will be chosen by the states, regions, and, the students themselves, as long as at least two of the three languages are Indian languages.
The announcement is significant, given the considerable controversy surrounding the Centre’s attempt to impose Hindi even in non-Hindi speaking states.
Tamil Nadu has already opposed the three-language formula recommended by the NEP, claiming that it is an imposition by the Centre. Although the Centre has denied this, there are telltale signs that the forceful imposition of Hindi is, in fact, happening. There is a strong push for it from the Centre, often leading to controversies and pushbacks.
However, the effort to impose languages in the name of promoting multilingualism and national unity may backfire because languages are closely tied to identity. The states should be allowed to choose the languages they prefer without any clauses, as is currently the case. Anything less than this would be considered an imposition.