From Mother Tongue to Global Voice: NEP 2020 and the Future of English Learning in India

Sandeep Verma

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.52526

From Mother Tongue to Global Voice: NEP 2020 and the Future of English Learning in India

Author(s)	Dr. Sandeep Verma
Country	India
Abstract	Abstract: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a transformative moment in India’s educational policy, particularly in its approach to language learning. Under the guiding theme “From Mother Tongue to Global Voice,” the policy seeks to harmonize foundational literacy in the mother tongue or regional languages with the strategic acquisition of English as a Second Language (ESL). This balance aims to foster cognitive development, cultural rootedness, and global competence among India’s vast multilingual student population. This paper critically examines the implications of NEP 2020’s language framework on English learning within public schools across North India’s Hindi belt states—Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Punjab—which together enroll over 80% of students in the region’s government education system. NEP 2020 fundamentally reasserts the importance of mother tongue instruction, mandating it as the medium of teaching at least up to Grade 5 and preferably through Grade 8, while also emphasizing the Three-Language Formula that includes regional languages, Hindi, and English. This multilingual approach is intended not only to enhance literacy and comprehension but also to preserve cultural heritage and identity. Simultaneously, English proficiency is recognized as a gateway to higher education, economic opportunities, and global engagement. The policy also innovatively integrates Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) into curricula, seeking to anchor ESL pedagogy within indigenous epistemologies, narratives, and experiential learning frameworks. The study investigates how these ambitious policy directives are operationalized in North India’s public schools, focusing on four critical dimensions: the alignment of policy with classroom practice; the structural capacity and equity challenges in ESL instruction; the deployment of culturally grounded pedagogies and experiential learning methods; and the measurable impacts on student language outcomes and aspirations. By synthesizing policy analysis, quantitative data from educational monitoring agencies (NCERT, DIKSHA, ASER), district-level assessments (NIPUN Bharat), qualitative insights from teacher interviews and surveys, and case studies of pilot programs, the paper offers a comprehensive understanding of NEP 2020’s efficacy and limitations in this complex sociolinguistic context. Findings reveal that while NEP 2020’s emphasis on mother tongue-based multilingual education aligns with robust cognitive and linguistic theories—such as Cummins’ Interdependence Hypothesis and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle—its implementation is uneven and fraught with challenges. In Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, insufficient bilingual resources, abrupt medium-of-instruction transitions, and inadequate teacher training undermine ESL acquisition, leading to comprehension gaps and reduced student engagement. Haryana and Punjab display greater variability: Punjab’s promotion of Punjabi alongside English and the presence of relatively better-trained educators facilitate more effective bilingual instruction, while Haryana struggles with rural-urban disparities and inconsistent policy application. Central to the policy’s innovation is the integration of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), which roots English learning in culturally familiar contexts—Ayurvedic medicine vocabulary, folk narratives, artisanal crafts, and local epistemologies—thereby enhancing motivation and cognitive connections. This culturally relevant pedagogy counters the alienation often associated with Western-centric ESL models and promotes epistemological pluralism and decolonial educational practices. Pilot programs incorporating IKS and task-based learning demonstrate positive effects on student fluency, narrative skills, and socio-emotional confidence. However, these approaches remain localized and require systemic scaling. The paper also highlights persistent socio-economic inequities. English proficiency remains highly correlated with access to private schooling and urban resources, deepening divides between privileged and marginalized learners. Without robust policy mechanisms to address these disparities—such as expanded teacher training, equitable distribution of bilingual materials, and digital resource access—NEP 2020’s flexible framework risks reinforcing existing educational inequities and the elite status of English in India. To bridge these gaps, the study advocates for sustained investment in teacher capacity-building focused on multilingual, experiential, and IKS-based ESL pedagogy; the development and dissemination of bilingual, culturally responsive curricular materials; and the institutionalization of accountability frameworks to monitor equitable implementation across states. It further underscores the need for collaborative efforts among policymakers, educators, and communities to contextualize NEP’s vision within local linguistic realities while maintaining fidelity to its multilingual and global objectives. The paper argues that NEP 2020’s aspirational mantra “from mother tongue to global voice” encapsulates a vital, feasible pathway for India’s public education system—one that respects linguistic diversity and cultural heritage while equipping students for meaningful participation in the global knowledge economy. Achieving this vision necessitates coherent policy execution, culturally sensitive pedagogy, and an unwavering commitment to equity. This research contributes to the evolving discourse on language policy, multilingual education, and postcolonial pedagogy in India, offering actionable insights for advancing ESL instruction that is both inclusive and empowering. Ultimately, it positions India’s multilingual youth as key agents in shaping a plural, dynamic future, fluent in their mother tongues and confident in their global voice.
Keywords	Keywords: National Education Policy 2020, English as a Second Language, mother tongue instruction, multilingual education, Indian Knowledge Systems, language policy in India, North India education, multilingual pedagogy, language equity, experiential learning, Three-Language Formula, public school education, postcolonial education, language learning challenges, cultural relevance in education.
Field	Sociology > Linguistic / Literature
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On	2025-07-30
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.52526
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g9vpqm

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From Mother Tongue to Global Voice: NEP 2020 and the Future of English Learning in India

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