The All India Students and Youth Organization (AISYO) strongly opposes the three-language policy under NEP 2020, as it threatens India's linguistic diversity and unfairly burdens non-Hindi-speaking states. While language is deeply tied to culture and identity, this policy forces students from South Indian states, Maharashtra, West Bengal, and Odisha to learn an additional language, while Hindi-speaking states remain exempt. This imbalance violates the constitutional principle of equality and highlights the policy’s bias.
Tamil Nadu, which has successfully implemented a two-language formula for decades, is now being pressured into adopting this policy through financial coercion from the Union government. This is an attempt to impose Hindi under the pretext of national unity, undermining the democratic right of states to determine their own education policies. States like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, which have some of the highest literacy rates and well-established education systems, should not be forced to alter their models. At a time when India faces rising illiteracy, unemployment, and economic distress, the government should focus on addressing these pressing issues rather than enforcing a divisive and unnecessary language policy.
Furthermore, imposing a third language will reduce the time and attention students can dedicate to their mother tongues, leading to the gradual erosion of linguistic and literary traditions. Language is not just a means of communication it is the foundation of cultural expression, history, and identity. Any attempt to marginalize regional languages is an attempt to erase the rich histories and struggles associated with them.
India’s Constitution, particularly Schedule 7, recognizes the country as a ‘Union of States’ with 22 official languages, ensuring that linguistic diversity is preserved and not used as a tool for domination. Unlike many nations, India has maintained its unity despite having 121 spoken languages and nearly 19,500 dialects. Europe, with 44 countries, has only 24 official languages, yet India has remained a single nation. Instead of imposing linguistic uniformity, we must respect this diversity, which is fundamental to India's democratic and federal structure.
We Demand:
- No Imposition of a Third Language – States with a successful two-language model must not be forced to adopt the three-language formula.
- Prioritization of Mother Tongues – Local languages and literatures must be given priority in education to ensure they continue to thrive.
- End to Coercion – The Union government must stop linking education funds to the enforcement of the three-language policy.
All India Students and Youth Organisation (AISYO)
Date: 14-03-2025,
Vijayawada
