Centre Stand on English as a Native Language under Three-Language Formula

Key Highlights & Summary

 • Stance on English Classification: The Union Government informed the Supreme Court that it opposes treating English as an indigenous or \'native\' Indian language within the educational framework. 

• Three-Language Formula Context: The debate centers on shifting English to the \'nonnative\' or foreign language category under the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum. 

• Relief for CBSE Students: The government assured the Supreme Court that quick consultations will take place to grant Class 6 students a one-time reprieve from a mandatory third-language paper in the Class 10 CBSE examinations.

 • Legal Representation: Solicitor-General Tushar Mehta made these submissions before a Supreme Court bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant.

 • Minority School Petitions: The Supreme Court issued a formal notice to the government on petitions filed by minority educational institutions challenging the implementation of the threelanguage scheme. 

• Submissions Pending: The government requested to make formal submissions before the apex court on whether English should be categorized strictly as a foreign/non-native language.

 Essential Definitions  

• Three-Language Formula: A policy framework introduced by the National Policy on Education (1968) and reaffirmed in NEP 2020, mandating students to learn three languages: regional language/mother tongue, Hindi (in non-Hindi states) or another modern Indian language (in Hindispeaking states), and English or another modern language.

 • Indigenous Language: A language natively originating from a specific geographic territory or cultural group, as opposed to languages introduced via colonial or foreign administration.

 Legal and Constitutional Framework 

• Article 343: Declares Hindi in Devanagari script as the official language of the Union, while allowing the continued use of English for official purposes as regulated by Parliament.

 • Article 350A: Directs states to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups.

 • Article 30: Grants religious and linguistic minorities the fundamental right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice. 

• Eighth Schedule: Lists 22 officially recognized languages of India; notably, English is not included among them. 

Conclusion The Centre’s posture before the Supreme Court reinforces the distinction between native Indian languages and inherited administration languages like English. While balancing language preservation with educational ease for current students, the issue highlights the ongoing friction between national language policies and the autonomy of minority educational institutions. 

UPSC Relevance

 • GS Paper II: Indian Constitution (Articles 30, 343, 350A), Fundamental Rights, Centre-State relations, Issues relating to development and management of Education, and Minorities\' rights.

• GS Paper I: Social Empowerment, Cultural Diversity, and Pluralism in Indian Society.