CBSE reinstates 14 languages in draft policy after protests

Sub : Schemes

Sec: Education

Context:

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) reinstated several regional languages, including Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, and others, after strong objections were raised about their exclusion from the list of regional languages in a draft policy on Class 10 board examinations.
The draft, released on February 25, included English and Hindi but omitted several major languages, especially from southern states.

NEP-2020 and the Two-Examination System:

The controversy arose in the context of the recommendations made by the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). The policy advocates for conducting two board examinations for Class 10, with English included as Language-1 and Hindi as Language-2.
Several other languages were included in the list of regional and foreign languages.
However, it had dropped 14 languages, including major south Indian languages like Kannada, Malayalam, Telugu-Andhra Pradesh and other Indian languages like Punjabi, Odia and Assamese.

Context of the Controversy:

This issue comes amidst the broader debate surrounding the imposition of Hindi and the implementation of the three-language formula in education.
The three-language formula, which mandates the learning of Hindi, English, and a regional language, has been a contentious issue, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where there has been strong opposition to the inclusion of Hindi as a mandatory language.
The controversy over the exclusion of regional languages has also highlighted concerns about the promotion of Hindi and Sanskrit in the education system, with critics alleging that such moves undermine the diversity of languages spoken across the country.

NEP’s three-language formula:

The Three-Language Formula is an educational policy in India that aims to promote multilingualism and national integration by having students learn three languages during their schooling years.
Students are encouraged to learn three languages, with at least two being native to India.
The NEP 2020 revisited the Three-Language Formula with a more flexible approach and now the choice of languages is left to the states, regions, and students, ensuring that no language is imposed.

Opposition to three-language formula:

Tamil Nadu has a history of anti-Hindi agitations and has consistently opposed the imposition of Hindi. It follows a two-language formula, teaching Tamil and English, and has resisted the inclusion of Hindi as a mandatory subject.
here are concerns that the policy might undermine regional languages and cultures.