The National Education Policy 2020 which included recommendations for the introduction of Sanskrit and other classical Indian languages as a school subject has met with resistance from Nagaland, according to reports.
As reported by The Print, an official document revealed that Nagaland has expressed concerns regarding the feasibility of incorporating additional languages into its curriculum. The state contends that it is already facing “trouble coping with the teaching and learning of Hindi,” and, therefore, the need to introduce Sanskrit and other classical Indian languages would be a “burden” on the state’s students.
Nagaland’s reservations regarding the National Education Policy were reportedly conveyed during submissions to the Centre’s committee, which is responsible for developing a new curriculum for the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). This committee is chaired by former ISRO chairman K Kasturirangan and was formed to gather input from various states.
The NEP 2020 states that Sanskrit will be offered at all levels of schooling and higher education as an enriching option for students. This is part of the three-language formula, which mandates students to learn three languages, with at least two being native to India.
The Kasturirangan committee sought feedback from states on a range of themes, including languages, particularly focusing on the implementation of the three-language formula and effective strategies for introducing Sanskrit and other classical Indian languages at the school level.
According to The Print, states such as Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Andhra Pradesh have also expressed reservations regarding the implementation of the three-language formula.
Disclaimer: This news article, written by Mokokchung Times, incorporates inputs from sources as cited.