VP Naidu backs education in local language, says National Education Policy a ‘game changer’

Despite continuous claims of the Centre imposing Hindi, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu backed education in the mother tongue. Naidu, speaking at Delhi University’s centenary celebrations, stressed that the local language must be the primary means of communication in administration and judiciary. “Every gazette notification and government order should be in the local or native language so that the common man understands it,” he added.

Naidu also praised the NEP-2020’s emphasis on providing basic education in the mother tongue. When the policy is implemented in schools and colleges, Naidu says it will be a game changer and revolutionise the Indian educational landscape.

Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah sparked outrage when he remarked that citizens from other states should interact in Hindi. Following response from numerous non-Hindi-speaking states, Shah reiterated that Hindi, not the local language, should take the role of English. At the 37th Parliamentary Official Language Committee meeting, Shah stated that 70 percent of the Union Cabinet agenda is written in Hindi, and that Prime Minister Modi has opted to run the government in Hindi.

The Vice President also called for expanding higher education to rural areas while also ensuring that it is accessible and equitable. He stated that equal access to education was vital for human development, nation building, and the creation of a prosperous global future.

Naidu said the ultimate goal of research should be to make people’s lives happier and more comfortable, emphasising the need of colleges coming up with novel ideas to address society’s challenges. He also cited India, which has the world’s largest youth population, as an example of how human resources may be harnessed for nation-building.

Naidu also highlighted his desire for Indian universities to be among the top ten universities in the world, and urged all stakeholders to work together to achieve this goal. He also noted that education was not solely for the purpose of gaining employment, but also for the purpose of expanding one’s knowledge and enlightenment. He went on to say that education is a lifelong process that does not finish with the acquisition of a degree.