Chhattisgarh govt to promote local languages, dialects in schools

The Chhattisgarh government has decided to include local language and dialects in the primary education curriculum in order to ensure inclusive and quality education.

The move is seen as a big leap towards implementing National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in tribal areas.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said he had directed the education department to develop and distribute bilingual books in 18 local languages and dialects, with focus on providing high-quality educational resources.

A special emphasis has also been placed on vocational education, with plans to enhance skill development programmes in these areas, he added.

Local dialects include the Sadi language, which could be introduced for primary education in tribal-predominated Jashpur district.

The initiative is a part of the broader vision under NEP 2020 to make education more inclusive and accessible to children in their native languages.

The three-language formula in NEP 2020 states that every student in India should learn three languages — two of which should be native Indian languages, including one regional language, and the third English.

This formula is applicable to both government and private schools, and the medium of instruction can be any of the three languages.

The primary aim of the three-language formula is to promote multilingualism in India and enable students to communicate effectively across the country.

It also aims to strengthen national integration by exposing students to different cultures and languages while fostering respect for linguistic diversity.

“Its objective is to increase access and quality of education in tribal communities, so that children can get education in their mother tongue and stay connected with their culture,” Sai said at the Shala Praveshotsav held in Jashpur district.

Shala Praveshotsav is celebrated in Raipur at the beginning of the new academic session to encourage children to enrol in schools.

This year, the state-level Shala Praveshotsav was inaugurated in Bagiya village of Jashpur, a remote tribal district of Chhattisgarh. It showed the state government’s commitment to provide quality education to the remote areas. The chief minister hails from the same district.