A Study of Mother Tongue-Based Education for Attainment of FLN in Schools of Tribal Areas in Northern Region

Yasmin Ashraf

A Study of Mother Tongue-Based Education for Attainment of FLN in Schools of Tribal Areas in Northern Region

Author(s)	Dr. Yasmin Ashraf
Country	India
Abstract	Mother Tongue-Based Education (MTBE) has emerged as a critical pedagogical approach for improving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) among children belonging to linguistically diverse and tribal communities. In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the NIPUN Bharat Mission, the present study investigates the status and effectiveness of mother tongue-based education in tribal-concentrated districts of Northern India. The study was conducted in selected districts of Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh, using surveys and field-based inquiries to represent diverse tribal and multilingual contexts. The study examined the use of the mother tongue as a medium of instruction, the availability of learning materials, classroom practices, teacher-student linguistic compatibility, and the role of the mother tongue in supporting FLN attainment. Findings reveal that many schools use mother tongue extensively in classroom instruction, conceptual clarification, peer interaction, storytelling, and co-curricular activities. Teachers widely recognize the pedagogical value of local languages in enhancing comprehension, participation, confidence, and socio-emotional development among learners. However, challenges persist, including inadequate teaching-learning materials, limited digital resources in tribal languages, insufficient visual learning aids, and linguistic mismatches between teachers and students. The study concludes that MTBE significantly contributes to improved foundational learning outcomes and cultural inclusion in tribal contexts. Strengthening institutional support, teacher preparation, multilingual pedagogies, and the development of educational resources in tribal languages is essential for achieving equitable and sustainable FLN outcomes among tribal learners.
Keywords	Mother Tongue-Based Education (MTBE), Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), Tribal Education, Multilingual Education, Scheduled Tribes, NIPUN Bharat, NEP 2020, Foundational Learning, Tribal Languages, Northern India.
Field	Sociology > Education
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026
Published On	2026-06-14

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A Study of Mother Tongue-Based Education for Attainment of FLN in Schools of Tribal Areas in Northern Region

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