Incredible India has a very rich and vibrant linguistic base. The popular indian saying “कोस-कोस पर बदले पानी, चार कोस पर वाणी…” (With every 3 km potable water attributes change while at every 12 km language changes), proves it right. There has been a lot of focus on common languages but preserving tribal languages and educating youths from the very background in their mother tongue has become need of the hour and the government of India seems to be prepared for it. In order to act on the need, UGC is now ready to make the higher education books available in tribal languages.
Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship announces huge for tribal communities
While interacting with media on Tribal Empowerment, Union Minister for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan said that apart from 12 official languages of India, now higher education textbooks will also be translated to several tribal languages. This step has been taken in accordance with the NEP. The policy calls for education in the regional languages in which tribal population will be a key beneficiary.
He further elucidated that Eklavya Model Residential School for tribal population has been enrolled with more than one lac students. Apart from it, he went on to say about the government’s initiative towards tribal upliftment. He said that the allocation for funds has been increased from Rs. 19,437 crores in 2014-15 to Rs. 87,585 crores.
He added that for the Government “Sabka saath, sabka vikas, sabka prayaas scheme is not merely a slogan but a guiding philosophy and a responsible commitment. This is reflective of Prime Minister’s commitment to the upliftment of tribal population by touching aspects including protecting their culture, respecting their identity, education, health, self-employment.
Reportedly, 36,428 villages with at least 50 percent tribal population are to be transformed under ‘Pradhan Mantri Adi Adarsh Gram Yojna (PMAAGY)’. Shri Dharmendra Pradhan detailed “The aim of this scheme is to achieve saturation of basic amenities and facilities in these villages in a mission mode. 7500 villages will be taken up annually over the next 5 years under it.”
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Tables for Tribal Education system seems to be changing for good
According to census 2011, 8.6 percent of Indian population is tribal. Out of which only 58.96 percent are literate. The stats in itself speaks volume about the challenges the tribals community faces to have basic rights like education, better economic condition and good infrastructure facility. But above all, medium of interaction still stands the biggest problem amongst of all.
If we talk about the education policy, NEP 2020 report says that over 220 languages are lost in past 50 years. Apart from that, UNESCO has declared 197 Indian languages as ‘endangered’. Even 22 official languages of Eighth Schedule of Indian constitution are facing serious difficulties.
Results of isolation from mainstream of governance for the past 70 years is all visible in the social status of the community and it’s sad beyond words. There has been no serious initiative taken to uplift them. But after the decades after independence, now it looks like Modi government’s is doing sincere efforts to uplift the community. Central government has instructed UGC take measures to bring tribal education to the track.
Central government ensuring Prosperity of Tribal communities
Teaching and learning of Indian languages need to be integrated with school and higher education at every level. For languages to remain relevant, there must be a continuous flow of high-quality learning and print materials in these languages including textbooks, workbooks, videos, plays, poems, novels, magazines, etc.
Language is linked to the culture of any particular society and central government is leaving no stone unturned to restore the linguistic heritage of every community dwelling in the nation and the recent initiate of center is a testimony to it.
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