Three language formula

Underlining the importance of the mother tongue of students and of the three language formula, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has instructed all schools affiliated to it to seek information about the mother tongue of the child during admission, as well as the preferred language to be studied under the formula.

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has directed its 16,000 affiliated schools to implement "the three-language formula", fuelling fears that the sterile-sounding phrase packs enough potency to restrict the choices of students in learning foreign languages.

All schools will have to include a column in the admission form for eliciting the information on the mother tongue of the child and obtain information relating to the preference of the languages for study under the three language formula. The three language formula states that schools must teach Hindi, English and one modern Indian language.

Brought in 1968, it was reiterated in the 1986 education policy, as well as in 2005. The ‘Three Language Formula’ was devised in the chief ministers conferences held during 1961. The National Commission on Education known as the Kothari commission examined and recommended a graduated formula which was recommended by the National Policy on Education,1968.

This is the relevant extract of what it says:

Three-Language Formula: At the secondary stage, the State Governments should adopt, and vigorously implement, the three-language formula which 'includes the study of a modern Indian language, preferably one of the southern languages, apart from Hindi and English in the Hindi-speaking States, and of Hindi along with the regional language and English in the non-Hindi speaking States.

Suitable courses in Hindi and/or English should also be available in universities and colleges with a view to improving the proficiency of students in these languages up to the prescribed university standards.

The National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, reiterated the need for the implementation of the three language formula in its true spirit while recording the unsatisfactory implementation of the formula in some parts of the country.

The three language formula should be implemented in consultation with/by the State Government. All the States except Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and Tripura have implemented the three language formula and three languages viz. Hindi, English and State Official Language are taught in the schools of these States.

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