This podcast takes a deep and critical look into the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, exploring not just the policy on paper, but the political and cultural intentions behind it.
The episode focuses extensively on the Three-Language Formula introduced in NEP, questioning its real-world implications. While the policy claims to offer flexibility in language choice, the discussion highlights how it subtly encourages Hindi, especially in non-Hindi speaking states, raising concerns of linguistic imposition. The argument is made in favour of a Two-Language System, where the mother tongue strengthens emotional and conceptual learning, and English serves as a global connector rendering the third language unnecessary for most learners.
The podcast also emphasizes the importance of learning subjects like science, maths, and social studies in the mother tongue not just up to Grade 5, but ideally throughout the school years. Languages like Tamil carry rich intellectual, scientific, and emotional depth, and when children are taught in their native language, they understand better, express more freely, and develop stronger cognitive foundations.
Beyond the classroom, this episode dives into how education has long been used as a political tool in India. It unpacks how politicians have historically manipulated educational policies and systems and how NEP 2020 continues this trend under the disguise of reform. The policy is seen as part of a broader centralisation effort, where a single cultural and linguistic narrative is subtly being promoted, risking the federal, diverse, and inclusive nature of Indian society.
This podcast questions whether NEP is truly a revolution in Indian education, or a rebranding of old agendas in a new form raising urgent questions about language, identity, and who really controls what the next generation learns.