By Dr. Dushyant Pradeep
India, a land of immense linguistic diversity—home to hundreds of spoken languages and several dozen official tongues—has long faced a paradox in its education system. While classroom conversations and foundational lessons often begin in unfamiliar languages, the child’s own mother tongue remains, for many,
absent from the earliest and most crucial years of learning. This disconnect lies at the heart of India’s learning gap, threatening not only foundational literacy rates but also the confidence, comprehension and long-term outcomes of millions of students. As the nation adopts new policies and reconsiders its pedagogical principles, the renewed emphasis on mother tongue instruction may prove to be the missing link in the journey to true educational inclusion.
Linguistic Realities|The Case For Mother Tongue First: Recent landmark moves have revived the mother tongue debate. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) now mandates all affiliated schools to implement a “mother tongue first” policy at the Foundational Stage (up to Grade 5), in line with the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) 2023 and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Schools across India—including those in linguistically diverse states like Jammu and Kashmir—are preparing to map students’ home languages and shift the medium of instruction from July 2025. Research, both global and local, shows that children taught in their home language learn best. UNESCO, UNICEF, and ASER surveys have shown mother tongue-based education yields deeper conceptual comprehension, enhanced cognitive growth, and strong self-confidence. Rajasthan and Odisha’s successes are often cited—but the need is especially acute in culturally rich regions where students speak Kashmiri, Dogri, Ladakhi, Gojri, Balti, Pahari, and Shina. In Jammu and Kashmir, classrooms often bring together children from different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds, including Kashmiri-speaking valley students, Dogri and Punjabi speakers from Jammu, and Ladakhi children from Leh and Kargil. In government-run schools of Pulwama and Baramulla, shifting the language of instruction to Kashmiri in early grades has increased participation and comprehension. In Poonch and Rajouri, experiments with Dogri and Gojri as instructional mediums have boosted student engagement and parent involvement.
The Learning Gap | National Challenge: The urgency of reform is clear from the numbers. According to national surveys, only 39% of Indian eight-year-olds meet basic reading standards—falling even lower in regions where the language of instruction diverges from home language. In Jammu and Kashmir, this gap is further pronounced due to the presence of multiple languages and medium mismatches. When teachers use the local languages—Kashmiri in the valley, Dogri in Jammu plains, Ladakhi in Leh—children’s foundational reading and math skills improve, and dropout rates decline.
Multilingual Complexity: Implementation Challenges Complexity is especially acute in Jammu and Kashmir, with nine major languages recognized in
the region and classrooms that often include three or more. Teachers, especially in border or hilly areas, must be equipped to handle this diversity. The CBSE and state department have begun teacher training in local languages, and curriculum design incorporating Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, and Ladakhi stories, poems, and cultural content. While some parents prize English for its perceived global utility, Kargil and Leh schools are demonstrating that early education in Ladakhi and Balti does not hinder, but rather enhances, later English proficiency.
“Using the mother tongue in early education does more than just impart knowledge; it preserves heritage, builds student confidence, and promotes inclusivity (“ensuring no child is left behind”). The mother tongue is framed as the “language of hope and possibility,” not just the language of the home. Restoring local languages to the core of education is presented as a vital strategy to bridge India’s learning gaps and secure the nation’s future, starting in every classroom.”
Cognitive, Social Gains: Early learning in local languages supports vital cognitive growth. Children understand concepts, express themselves confidently, and forge strong community bonds. Mother tongue is a stepping stone: once children have a foundation, they transition to state and international languages with
greater fluency.
Regional Success Stories: States and districts across India are pioneering mother tongue-based initiatives. Odisha’s multilingual programme, West Bengal’s language integration, and Maharashtra’s Marathi-first CBSE schools offer hope. In Jammu and Kashmir, the state education department has introduced Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, and Ladakhi primers; local tales like “Shiv ka Bacha” and “Kaeshir
Tchay” are now taught alongside NCERT content. In Gurez and Baltal, Balti and Shina medium classes have brought new confidence to children, many of whom previously struggled. NGOs and local teachers are archiving and digitizing
endangered folk tales, ensuring cultural transmission alongside educational achievement.
Policy — And Its Promise: The current CBSE directive marks the strongest national endorsement yet of mother tongue instruction. Jammu and Kashmir’s state curriculum board has aligned its foundational curriculum to include Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Ladakhi, Balti, and Gojri, while promoting teacher training and
local content creation. UNESCO and UNICEF praise India’s steps, linking them to higher retention, achievement, and societal inclusion—not just in metropolitan cities but in linguistic heartlands like Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, and Kargil.
The Road Ahead : Realizing this promise requires:
• Teacher Training & Resources: Expansion of multilingual teacher education, curriculum, and locally sourced materials in all major regional languages.
• Community Engagement: Involvement of families and communities (including in remote hilly areas) to integrate local stories, songs, and traditions.
• Policy Flexibility: Empowering regions to design locally tailored multilingual models suited to their populations.
• Communication & Reassurance: Ongoing dialogue to assure parents that learning in Kashmiri, Dogri, Ladakhi, or Gojri enhances, rather than limits, future success in national and international domains.
Conclusion: Recovering the Missing Link India’s linguistic diversity is not a barrier; it is a bridge. The integration of mother tongue in early education—whether Kashmiri in the valley, Dogri in Jammu, Ladakhi in Leh, or Balti in
Kargil—is a commitment to inclusion and excellence. The NEP and CBSE directives, implemented thoughtfully and locally, can finally close stubborn learning gaps and unleash every child’s potential. As policymakers, teachers, and communities in Jammu and Kashmir and across India embrace early education in local languages, they do more than impart knowledge—they preserve heritage,
build confidence, and ensure no child is left behind. Mother tongue is not just the language of home—it is the language of hope and possibility. By restoring it to the core of education, India can bridge its learning gaps and secure its future—starting in every classroom, in every local language.
(The author is an educator and a Subject Expert in Physics. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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