MLE developments in India - International Mother Language Day 2026
On the occasion of International Mother Language Day 2026, it is worth pausing to look at what is actually unfolding in India around multilingual education (MLE). This year’s theme from UNESCO, “Youth voices on multilingual education,” resonates strongly with ongoing conversations and developments in India shaped by NEP 2020 (National Education Policy) and the National Curriculum Framework. At the same time, recent evidence provides both encouragement and caution. UNESCO’s State of the Education Report for India 2025(SOER) underscores that Mother Tongue–Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) is foundational for inclusion and improved learning outcomes. However, the Teaching Learning Practices Survey (TLPS) 2025, conducted by the Language and Learning Foundation and Tata Trusts across 1,050 classrooms in nine states, highlights that consistent classroom use of children’s home languages remains limited. Against this backdrop of policy momentum and implementation challenges, several states — notably Odisha, Assam, and Jharkhand — have announced significant steps toward strengthening education in children’s home languages. On the occasion of this year’s International Mother Language Day, let us look at recent developments in MLE in India.
Odisha has long championed mother-tongue instruction, especially for tribal children, and that momentum has continued into 2025–26. In January 2026, the state government launched a new five-year scheme called Aame Padhiba Aama Bhasare (“We will study in our own language”) to provide early childhood education (ages 3–6) in tribal mother-tongues, initially covering six tribal languages — Munda, Kui, Saura, Kuvi, Gondi and Koya — in districts such as Keonjhar, Kandhamal, Gajapati, Rayagada, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri. ‘Anganwadi’ workers are being given language-specific training and teaching materials to support learning in their mother tongue before introducing regional languages, aligning with NEP 2020’s recommendations for foundational language instruction. (The New Indian Express) UNESCO’s State of the Education Report for India 2025 (Pg120) places strong emphasis on MTB-MLE as essential for inclusion and learning outcomes — reinforcing efforts like those in Odisha to broaden linguistic access in foundational schooling.( UNESCO)
Assam in recent times has made major strides during the 2025–26 academic year by attempting to use of indigenous languages as official mediums of instruction in primary schools. The Assam government officially designated 278 Lower Primary schools to teach in the Dimasa language from 2025–26, enabling students to learn foundational content in their mother tongue. (India Today NE, Nov 2025). In parallel initiatives, 200 schools began teaching in Mising language and additional primary schools adopted Deori and Tiwa as mediums of instruction — collectively over 300 schools offering indigenous language instruction. (India Today NE, Apr 2025) According to UNESCO’s 2025 education report, the state’s engagement with tribal and indigenous languages at the foundational level extends beyond long-standing Bodo instruction to include more mother tongue languages such as Mising, Rabha, Tiwa, Deori, and Dimasa.
Jharkhand’s PALASH Multilingual Education Programme, led by the Government of Jharkhand, has expanded rapidly, demonstrating a strong commitment to multilingual education (MLE). Initially piloted in 259 schools, PALASH has grown to more than 1,080 schools across eight districts, providing instruction in tribal languages such as Santhali, Mundari, Ho, Kurukh, and Kharia.( (The Times of India, April 2025) The State of the Education Report for India 2025 – Bhasha Matters published by UNESCO also features a case study on PALASH (p.121), highlighting its role in strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy through the systematic integration of children’s home languages into classroom teaching. The programme places strong emphasis on teacher capacity building and the development of multilingual teaching–learning materials, with over 1,000 teachers and education personnel trained to deliver instruction in tribal languages. Plans are also underway to expand PALASH to additional districts, further reinforcing tribal language learning across the state.
However, while policy momentum for mother-tongue education is growing — from CBSE’s guidance to implement the National Curriculum Framework’s(NCF) language recommendations in early years (2025–26) to the launch and expansion of multilingual programmes like Jharkhand’s PALASH with UNICEF and the Language and Learning Foundation supporting tribal language instruction in over 1,080 schools — real-world classroom practices may still lag behind the ideals. UNESCO’s State of the Education Report for India 2025 underscores that although MTB-MLE is foundational for inclusive and effective learning, teacher preparation, resource quality, and systematic implementation remain uneven across regions. Moreover, the Teaching Learning Practices Survey (TLPS) 2025 by the Language and Learning Foundation and Tata Trusts — covering 1,050 classrooms across nine states — found that only a small share of teachers consistently use children’s home languages in instruction, and many classrooms either discourage or fail to integrate home language use to support comprehension and engagement — despite NEP 2020 and NCFSE 2023(National Curriculum Framework-Foundational Education) calling for mother-tongue mediums in early schooling. These findings show the gap between aspiration and daily practice, indicating that policy frameworks could be complemented by practical work such as intensive teacher training, community-developed materials, and ongoing classroom support to make mother-tongue learning a lived reality for millions of young learners.
Regards,
Karsten, in collaboration with Upasana Lepcha
Resources:
Odisha government launches new scheme ‘Aame Padhiba Aama Bhasare’
Assam declares 278 schools as Dimasa medium to promote mother-tongue education
India Today Northeast – Assam Mising, Tiwa, Deori Integration
Full-Report_Teaching Learning Practices (TLPS) 2025_December.pdf
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