Multilingual Education and India

Happy International Mother Language Day 2026! There is lots to celebrate on this day, as many good things are happening. Yes, we realize that there are many challenges too, but on a day like this, let's look at some of the things that are happening in the different states and organizations! 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 S...