Page 31 - Kashmir and National Education Policy by Dr. Amarpreet Kour

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

NEP 2020 has the potential to revolutionize India’s education system,
addressing job-related concerns, fostering critical thinking, and
creating global citizens equipped with skills and creativity. The policy
is not just a framework for education but a comprehensive effort to
reshape India’s education landscape, making students self-sufficient,
future-ready, and capable of contributing meaningfully to the nation’s
progress.

Linguistic development requires a delicate balance between
monolingualism and multilingualism, emphasizing the importance
of the mother tongue in preserving students’ identity, cultural
heritage, and familial ties. While multilingualism sharpens the mind,
broadens perspectives, and prepares students for global interactions,
excessive emphasis on learning at least three languages English, the
mother tongue, and one additional language raises concerns about
overburdening students and potentially sidelining STEM (Science,
Tech education. Historical examples, such as Prophet Muhammad
encouraging the learning of multiple languages and the Persian poet’s
observation, “The more languages you know, the more useful you are,”
underscore the value of multilingualism. However, solely relying on
the mother tongue for instruction is insufficient in a globalized world.

English, as a global lingua franca, is critical for employability
and access to vast knowledge resources. NEP 2020’s emphasis on
introducing English only by the 8th grade risks undermining students’
foundational competence, making it difficult to bridge the gap in two
to three years. Introducing English at the foundational level ensures
strong communication skills and confidence, which are vital for success
in assessments and the global job market.

One significant challenge is the discrepancy between teaching students
in their mother tongue while assessments are conducted in English,
which hinders their performance. In Gujjar-dominated areas, where
25% to 30% of the population belongs to the Scheduled Tribe (ST)
category, this challenge is amplified. Many students speak Gujjari or
Kashmiri as their primary language, yet they cannot understand each
other’s languages. Moreover, many teachers cannot speak Kashmiri
fluently and resort to a third language, such as Urdu or English, to
communicate effectively in classrooms. In such regions, adopting Urdu
as a common medium of instruction offers a practical solution, bridging
linguistic divides and ensuring effective communication among students

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