National Education Policy-2020 to strengthen Hindi

NEP to recognise India’s strength in multi-languages

National webinar on ‘National Education Policy and future of Hindi’ organised by MCU

Bhopal, 22^nd September 2010: The National Education Policy (NEP) will be lauded for facilitating teaching in mother tongue. The policy will strengthen Hindi language. Former Director of Central Institute for Hindi, Prof Nandkishore Pandey said this in a national webinar on ‘National Education Policy and Future of Hindi’, organised by Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Bhopal. University Vice Chancellor Prof KG Suresh chaired the programme. Chief Guest Prof Rajneesh Shukla and special invitee Prof Ramdev Bhardwaj also addressed the webinar.

In his keynote address, Prof Pandey said that Hindi’s present status is because of non-Hindi speaking people. Gujarati speaking, Mahatma Gandhi made efforts to make Hindi a national language. Gandhi Ji, who toured the country during the freedom struggle, tabled proposals in Hindi at the conventions of the Congress party, proceedings of which were basically in English at that time. Akbar, during his tenure, forcefully made Persian as an official language. People were invited from Iran to publicise the language and Madrasas were opened for teaching it. Similarly, English language was made language for officials working at the time of the Independence. Prof Pandey said English is the official language in Nagaland, Sikkim, Mizoram and other states. Public there have launched movements to save their mother tongue. Correspondence in universities in Hindi states is made in English, which is unfortunate. Higher education should be imparted in Hindi in the states.

Chief Guest and Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi Antarrashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha, Prof Rajneesh Kumar Shukla said this is the first education policy, which highlights concern for the languages. This policy recognises the strength of being multi-lingual. Hindi is the language of the highest number of people. We generally believe that English is a language of knowledge and science and that mentality is an obstacle in development and expansion of Hindi and other Indian languages. The NEP aims at taking the country ahead. This is not possible without development of our own language. Vice Chancellor of Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Prof Ramdev Bhardwaj said we should feel proud of our language and not hesitate in using our mother tongue. Hindi should be made the language of trade and international dialogue. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in this regard set an example. He earned respect for Hindi on international fora. This is the responsibility of all to give and get respect for Hindi.

Future of Hindi lies in promotion of Indian languages

Vice Chancellor Prof KG Suresh, chairing the session, said inferiority complex was developed in Hindi speaking people for not being able to speak English at institutional level. Because of this mindset, we consider only English speaking persons as intellectual. No special provision has been made for Hindi in the NEP and that’s why we have organised the discussion on it. The policy emphasizes on importance of Indian languages. We should understand that expansion and development of Hindi will be done through development of Indian languages. Prof Suresh said there is a need for better coordination among Indian languages. Hindi speaking people should learn other Indian languages and we should adopt words from other languages in Hindi in the place of English. People in Tamil Nadu are learning Hindi despite political opposition. University Registrar Prof Avinash Bajpayee proposed the vote of thanks and Head of Journalism Department Dr Rakhi Tiwari conducted the webinar.