Emphasis on Indian languages in NEP 2020
Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'
Union Minister of Education at Government of India
It was a matter of joy and pride for me to attend the Fourth Convocation of Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University, Wardha, recently. Wardha is considered the heart of India. This is not only because it is geographically located close to the zero mile in Nagpur, this is also because Wardha is the workplace of Gandhi ji.
I remember that once Gandhiji said, "By education I mean education that develops the best from the body, soul and mind of the child and man." Equal development of the three paves the way for true education.
Gandhiji's thinking has also been incorporated into the National Education Policy. With such sublime thinking towards education, establishing India as a 'superpower of knowledge' is one of the important objectives of our National Education Policy 2020. This policy aims to make the person self-dependent. One form of this self-reliance is to create opportunities for others, to become 'Job Giver' instead of 'Job Seeker'.
Gandhi ji also insisted on teaching in the mother tongue. India is a multi-lingual nation. In addition to the 22 languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, there are many other languages, which cater to the daily needs of the concerned linguistic community locally. The Government of India has made provision for school education and higher education as an option in India's regional/local/mother tongues through the National Education Policy 2020.
The Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya is doing a great job to promote and develop the Hindi language and literature and to provide facilities for teaching and research in the relevant branches of learning for that purpose. Apart from this, the University is making proper arrangements for study and research in Hindi and other Indian languages and providing facilities for the development and transmission of relevant information in the country and abroad. I am happy that students from various states of India and abroad come to the Hindi University of Wardha.
I had the opportunity to launch Indian Translation Consortium established by this Hindi University recently. The association of more than 1100 translators in a total of 64 languages of the country and abroad is an achievement in itself. I am happy that in accordance with the objectives of its establishment, the Hindi University has pledged to provide knowledge and literature in Hindi and Indian languages by translating them. In these educational materials, materials from various knowledge fields and creative literature such as knowledge, technology, medicine, law, management will be available.
The Government of India has also decided to set up the Indian Institute of Translation and Interpretation, under National Education Policy. Multi-linguists, subject matter experts and translation and interpretation experts will be associated with this institute. To accelerate the efforts being made in the field of translation and interpretation, more and more use of technology also needs to be ensured. Through translation, cooperative relations will be strengthened and this will also enhance mutual partnership and understanding and fulfil Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji’s dream of a New India.
Disability Rights Advocate| DeafBlind Education| Family Support| Co-Chair Outreach, Board Member NFADB | Ambassador: Usher Syndrome Coalition
3 年Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' - thank you for sharing the vision. I am a mother and family advocate representing Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind community. Education reform is my life goal. If given an opportunity, I would like to share the need in educational reforms that us parents of children with special needs would like to see in the educational environment in India. I’m very proud of the progress that our country is making, and I request you to address the gap in accessibility, infrastructure, and inclusion that is faced in education by children who have special needs. It’s time, that the government of India introduces individualized education plan, every student succeeds designed policies, bring state of the art technology and training opportunities for teachers and students, and ensures that each and every special-ed child is educated with equitable education that they need.