Nabarangpur: The demand for education in local languages as part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has gained momentum in the undivided Koraput district. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Odisha High Court regarding this matter.
According to petitioner Arjun Bhatra from Nabarangpur, the NEP 2020 does not prioritize the mother tongues of different regions in Odisha, whereas neighboring states Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand have incorporated education in 23 different mother tongues in their primary schools. The petitioner argues that not providing primary education in the local mother tongue violates children’s fundamental rights and has contributed to increasing dropout rates among students.
In Odisha, Odia is the only government-recognized language for primary education, apart from English and Hindi. However, different districts have their own distinct mother tongues, such as:
Koraput: Koraputia
Nabarangpur: Nabarangpuria
Kalahandi: Kalahandia
Balangir: Balangiria
On the other hand, Jharkhand recognizes Odia as its second official language and gives priority to local or mother tongue-based primary education, similar to Chhattisgarh.
The PIL was filed in the High Court by advocates Sanjeev Joshi and S.N. Sahu on behalf of the petitioner, highlighting the disparity. The petition argues that if other states can successfully implement the NEP by prioritizing local languages, then why is Odisha lagging behind? The petitioner further states that implementing mother tongue-based education will help reduce dropout rates and encourage children to learn in their native language at the primary level.
Background & Government Response
Last year, the Nabarangpur District Implementation Committee led a movement demanding district-based teacher recruitment to promote local language education. In December, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, during a program in the district, promised recruitment of local teachers. The petitioner, Arjun Bhatra, stated that if district-based teacher recruitment is implemented, local teachers will be able to teach in their respective mother tongues, thereby strengthening the education system in the region.
