Language policy for education in india : walking on the path of lokmanya tilak's vision of national education

Abstract

India faces a huge challenge with respect to its language policy. The legacy of English-based education instituted by the British rulers not only continues but it is growing. This is an important cause of socio-economic inequity as it creates unequal growth opportunities for the non-English speaking people comprising largely of rural-urban poor and lower-middle class. Incontextofthis,thepaperreviewstheprinciplesandthoughtsofLokmanyaTilakonlanguage andeducation.ThepapershowshowtheLokmanyaTilakwasavisionarywhohadforewarned of the language-based domination of the English-speaking class. His vision of national educationwasbasedontheneedtocreatenationalprideandrespectamongtheIndianthrough education in vernacular languages. The paper further shows how the New Draft Education Policy2019isanattempttowalkonthepathshownbyLokmanya.Finally,thepaperconcludes with the relevance and need for putting earnest efforts to walk on this path to create a truly modernIndia.