Rajasthan schools to include local language in primary classes: Report

JAIPUR: The Rajasthan state education department is determined to include ‘Education in Mother Tongue’ programme in pre-primary and primary classes from the 2022-23 academic session under the new National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, reported the Times of India.

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NEP stresses the promotion of regional languages as one of its main agendas. In connection to this, the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT) has reportedly come up with a new syllabus that is inclusive of three languages – Hindi, English and the local dialect. 18 local dialects have been recognised in Rajasthan by the central government. These dialects had been selected for the development of the module for classes up to five.

“Our work is towards including all dialects, which is a difficult job considering the depth and diversity of it,” Kamlendra Singh Ranawat, associate professor at RSCERT reportedly said.

The language books will have an image with its associated name in three languages, including the local dialect. Marwari, Vaagdi, Doondari, Mewati, Bhili and Shekhawati and other minor dialects are included.

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“Teachers have been provided specialised training to teach students in the classrooms with the new module. The objective of this programme is to make students learn in their local language so that these languages live,” Priyanka Jodhawat, head of RSCERT reportedly said.

The teachers are given the freedom to fill or modify the words for common articles or places if they sound different in a particular area. The dialect class will continue only until class 5.