**Executive Summary**
This document is the answer to Unstarred Question No. 1579 in Lok Sabha, answered on 09.02.2026, regarding the use of Maithili as a medium of instruction in the Mithila region and related aspects of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 implementation. It covers the integration of pre-primary education, the promotion of mother tongue instruction, and new Board examination policies to be implemented from 2026. It also includes information on available initiatives and support for Indian languages.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Integration of Pre-Primary Education:**
* The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 recognizes 3 years of pre-schools (Balvatika) as a continuum of education in the 5+3+3+4 structure, where the foundational stage includes 3 years of pre-school and grades 1 & 2.
* The Department of School Education (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education (MoE), ensures States & Union Territories (UTs) receive adequate central support to integrate three years of pre-primary education into the new Foundational Stage (FS).
* The NIPUN Bharat Mission, launched on July 5th, 2021, aims to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by the end of Grade 2 and provides financial support for pre-school education and related components.
* The National Curricular Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) was released on October 20th, 2022, providing a syllabus structure, teacher training, and Learning Teaching Material (LTM).
* ‘Vidya Pravesh,' a 3-month play-based school preparation module for Grade I, was launched on July 29th, 2021, and is implemented across all States and UTs.
* The DoSE&L, MoE, in collaboration with the Ministry of Women & Child Development, launched the “Guidelines for Co-location of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) with Schools" on September 3rd, 2025.
* **Mother Tongue Instruction and Multilingualism:**
* Education falls under the concurrent list, with most schools under State Government & UT administration.
* The NEP 2020 promotes the three-language formula while maintaining flexibility and respecting the choices of states, regions, and students.
* The government's policy is to promote all Indian languages, emphasizing the use of home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language as the medium of instruction up to at least class 5, and preferably up to class 8.
* The National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 was launched in July 2023.
* NCERT has developed and published textbooks in 22 scheduled languages for Grades 1 to 3 and 6.
* The Jaadui Pitara (JP), a set of play-based learning-teaching materials for ages 3-8, was launched on February 20th, 2023 and is available in 22 Indian languages.
* Primers have been developed in 121 local languages for FLN in mother tongues and are available since March 2024.
* The Ministry of Education initiated a nationwide program to promote Indian languages through Bhasha Sangam.
* **Board Examinations:**
* CBSE has notified that there will be two Board Examinations in Class X from 2026. The notification was issued on June 25, 2025.
* CBSE is responsible for registering candidates and conducting annual Class X and XII examinations for affiliated schools.
* Reforms in examination practices, including conducting board exams twice a year, aim to reduce exam pressure and promote competency-based learning.
**Impact Analysis**
**Students**
*Impact:* Students benefit from improved integration of pre-primary education, support for learning in their mother tongue, and flexible board examination policies.
*Action Required:* Students need to engage with the available resources and adapt to the new examination format.
**Teachers**
*Impact:* Teachers benefit from NCF-FS, teacher training, and resources such as Jaadui Pitara.
*Action Required:* Teachers should implement innovative pedagogies using new teaching materials and prepare students for the revised examination pattern.
**States and Union Territories (UTs)**
*Impact:* States and UTs are responsible for implementing the NEP 2020, including integrating pre-primary education and supporting mother tongue instruction.
*Action Required:* States and UTs must integrate three years of pre-primary education into the new Foundational Stage (FS).
**CBSE Affiliated Schools**
*Impact:* These schools will implement new examination and evaluation practices.
*Action Required:* Schools must prepare for the implementation of two board examinations in Class X from 2026.
Key Entities Referenced
National Education Policy (NEP) 2020: A national policy outlining the vision and framework for education in India, with a focus on foundational literacy and numeracy.
NIPUN Bharat Mission: A national mission to ensure proficiency in reading with understanding and numeracy for every child by the end of Grade 2.
Maithili: A language proposed for use as a compulsory medium of instruction in the Mithila region.
Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE): The entity that has prescribed using child's home language, mother tongue or a familiar regional language, as a medium of instruction at the foundational stage and also at the preparatory stage and that is responsible for administering board examinations.
Mithila: The region where the compulsory use of Maithili as the medium of instruction is being considered.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1579
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
Compulsory use of Maithili as Medium of Instruction in Mithila Region
†1579. Shri Gopal Jee Thakur:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is making arrangements to ensure adequate Central support for the
integration of three years of pre-primary education at the foundation stage in rural areas under the
National Education Policy, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the strategy adopted by the Government to make mother tongue Maithili, compulsory as the
medium of instruction at least upto Class-V in Mithila region;
(c) the manner in which the requirement of making the mother tongue/local language compulsory
is likely to be balanced with the need for multilingual proficiency at the middle and secondary
level of education;
(d) whether the Government has finalised the mechanism for the implementation of new Board
examinations policy that proposes to conduct exams twice a year; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a): In the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, for the first time, 3 years of pre-schools
(Balvatika) is recognized as a continuum of education in the 5+3+3+4 structure where the
foundational stage is 3 years of pre-school and grade 1 & grade 2. The Department of School
Education (DoSE&L), Ministry of Education (MoE) through the schemes/programmes/initiatives
has ensured that the States & Union Territories (UTs) receive adequate central support to
integrate three years of pre-primary education into the new Foundational Stage (FS). Asenvisaged in NEP 2020, to achieve universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) by end
of Grade 2, a national mission called NIPUN Bharat Mission has been launched.
NIPUN Bharat Mission: A flagship national mission called “National Initiative for Proficiency
in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy (NIPUN Bharat)” was launched on 5th July, 2021
for ensuring that every child in the country necessarily attains FLN by the end of Grade 2. This
Mission has been set up under the aegis of the Samagra Shiksha. All 36 States/Union Territories
are implementing NIPUN-Bharat Mission (NBM). Financial norms for the following
components are provided under the NBM:
• Support to pre-school education/co-located anganwadi centers (recurring & non-
recurring)
• Teaching Learning Materials for implementation of Innovative pedagogies
• Teacher Resource Material/Activity Handbook
• Capacity building of Teachers of Grades I & II
• Independent, periodic and holistic assessment of students
• Formation of Project Management Unit (PMU) at state and district level
In order to integrate the pre-school (Balvatika) in the foundational stage, following progress has
been made:
➢ NCF-FS: National Curricular Framework for Foundational Stage (NCF-FS) was released
on 20th October, 2022 providing a structure for the syllabus, training of teachers, Learning
Teaching Material (LTM), etc. It is the first ever integrated curriculum framework for children
between ages 3-8 in India.
➢ Vidya Pravesh: A 3-months play based ‘School Preparation Module and Guidelines’ for
Grade I named ‘Vidya Pravesh’ was launched on 29th July, 2021. The goal of Vidya Pravesh
programme is to promote school preparedness in all children coming to Grade- I from diverse
backgrounds (Balvatika, Anganwadi Centers (AWCs), at home, private play schools etc.), to
ensure a smooth transition of children to Grade-I. This programme is implemented across the
country. At present, all 36 States and UTs have implemented Vidya Pravesh Programme.
➢ Co-location of Anganwadi Centers (AWCs): As envisaged in NEP 2020, one of the
models to ensure universal access to high quality Early Childhood Care & Education consists of
Anganwadis co-located schools having Grade 1. In this regard, the DoSE&L, MoE in
collaboration with the Ministry of Women & Child Development has launched the “Guidelines
for Co-location of Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) with Schools” on 3rd September, 2025.(b) & (c): Education is in the concurrent list of the Constitution of India and majority of the
schools are under the domain of the State Government & UT administration. As per para 4.13 of
the NEP 2020, “The three-language formula will continue to be implemented while keeping in
mind the Constitutional provisions, aspirations of the people, regions, and the Union, and the
need to promote multilingualism as well as promote national unity. However, there will be a
greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and no language will be imposed on any State.
The three languages learned by children will be the choices of States, regions, and of course the
students themselves, so long as at least two of the three languages are native to India. In
particular, students who wish to change one or more of the three languages they are studying
may do so in Grade 6 or 7, as long as they are able to demonstrate basic proficiency in three
languages (including one language of India at the literature level) by the end of secondary
school.”
The policy of the Government is to promote all Indian languages. The NEP, 2020 lays stress on
promoting multilingualism and making efforts to keep Indian languages vibrant. The NEP 2020
mentions that wherever possible the medium of instruction up to at least class 5 and preferably
up to class 8 will be in the home language/mother tongue/local language/regional language. The
policy emphasizes that teaching should be in the home language/local language/regional
language and learning of Indian languages should be integrated with school education so that
students have the option of studying in any Indian language. As a follow-up of NEP, 2020, the
National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) 2023 was launched in July
2023 and the following initiatives have been taken in the area of school education to promote
Indian languages:
(i) NCERT has developed and published textbooks in 22 scheduled languages for Grades 1
to 3 and 6. The textbooks are available at NCERT’s website https://ncert.nic.in.
(ii) The Jaadui Pitara (JP), a set of 53 play-based learning-teaching materials for ages 3-8
was launched on 20th February 2023. Available in 22 Indian languages and English, JP includes
toys, puzzles, story cards, flashcards, and teacher handbooks. Its digital extension, the e-Jaadui
Pitara, launched on 10th February 2024, offers multilingual stories, activities, songs in 22 Indian
languages, and AI-based bots-Katha Sakhi, Teacher Tara, and Parent Tara-to support children,
teachers, and parents. As envisaged in NEP 2020, these initiatives are an integral part of the
foundational stage.
(iii) Primers (launched in March, 2024) have been developed in 121 local languages, for FLN
in mother tongues spoken by populations of at least 10,000. Primers are available at
https://ncert.nic.in/primers.php?ln=en.
(iv) The Ministry of Education initiated a nationwide programme to promote all Indian
languages through the programme of Bhasha Sangam. Children in school learn 100 sentences inthe 22 scheduled languages with audio and video support. Schools across the country are
participating and learning the Indian languages. Both textual and audio-video materials are
available on DIKSHA portal at https://ncert.nic.in/bs-2021.php.
(v) The Rashtriya e-Pustakalaya provides quality books to children and adolescents, ensuring
accessibility across diverse geographies, languages, genres, and educational levels. The platform
offers 5,000+ non-academic books in 23 languages making a wide range of resources available
to users.
(vi) The PM e-Vidya initiative has expanded to 200 DTH TV channels with vision of “One
Nation, One Digital Platform”, delivering curriculum-aligned content in various 128 Indian
languages and 7 foreign languages, enhancing reach and inclusivity of rural area.
(vii) Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has prescribed using child’s home language,
mother tongue or a familiar regional language, as a medium of instruction at the foundational
stage and also at the preparatory stage. The notification dated 22.05.2025 is available at
https://cbseacademic.nic.in/web_material/Circulars/2025/30_Circular_2025.pdf
(d) & (e): CBSE has notified two Board Examinations in Class X from 2026 and its
mechanism vide its notification dated 25.06.2025. The notification is available at
https://www.cbse.gov.in/cbsenew/documents/Notification_Two_Board_Examinations_Class_X_
2026_25062025.pdf. The main responsibility of CBSE is to register candidates in Classes IX and
XI and to conduct the annual Class X and XII examinations for its affiliated schools. In addition,
CBSE undertakes reforms in examination and evaluation practices to equip students to meet
present and future challenges. The recent reforms, including conducting board examinations
twice a year, are aligned with the NEP 2020, which aims to reduce high-stakes exam pressure
and promote flexibility and competency-based learning over rote memorization.
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