Why in news:

• The state education department has recently announced its decision to introduce ‘Education in Mother Tongue’ programme in pre-primary and primary classes from the next academic session under the New Education Policy (NEP).

Key Points:

• The Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research & Training (RSCERT), Udaipur, has prepared a curriculum with contents in three languages – Hindi, English and the local dialect.
• The state has 18 local dialects recognised by the central government and several minor dialects.
• The state government is committed to introducing the provisions of NEP by integrating it into its education system by June 2022.
• The promotion of regional languages is one of the main provisions of NEP.
• Earlier this year, 18 dialects had been zeroed in for the developing the module for classes up to five. Subject experts from across the regions were called to form a repository of words in order to create a composite textbook.
• The government’s effort is to include all dialects, which is an uphill task considering the depth and diversity of it.
• Every language book will start with an image with its name in the local dialect, Hindi and English.
• The dialects which have been included are Marwari, Vaagdi, Doondari, Mewati, Bhili and Shekhawati along with minor dialects.
• An intense training has been given to the teachers to train or teach students in the classrooms with the new module. The focus is to educate students in their local language in order to keep these languages alive.
• The research body has also kept a provision of allowing the teachers to fill or modify the words for common articles or places if they differently sound in a particular area. The dialect class will stop after class 5.

National Education Policy:

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was announced by the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
• The policy is aimed at transforming the Indian education system to meet the needs of the 21st Century
• The new policy seeks rectification of poor literacy and numeracy outcomes associated with primary schools, reduction in dropout levels in middle and secondary schools and adoption of the multi-disciplinary approach in the higher education system.
• Apart from this, the policy also focuses on early childhood care, restructuring curriculum and pedagogy; reforming assessments and exams, and investing in teacher training and broad-basing their appraisal.
• Though the NEP 2020 seeks to bring a holistic change in the education system of India, its success depends on the will and way in which it will be implemented.