61.6% schools in India offer three languages, only 3.2% in Tamil Nadu

Story so far: Firmly opposed to the ‘three language’ clause in the Centre’s National Education Policy, Tamil Nadu ranks the lowest among India’s large states in implementing in schools. Only 1905 (3.2%) schools in Tamil Nadu offered three languages, while 35,092 (59.8%) schools offered two languages and 21,725 (37%) schools offered a single language, revealed Centre in reply to a query by DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi in Lok Sabha on March 24, 2025. 

Overall, 9,06,225 (61.6%) schools in India offer three languages, 4,16,601(28.3%) schools offer two and 1,49,065 (10.1%) schools offer only one language. Among the populous States, Uttar Pradesh has the highest number of schools offering three languages – 82.8% (2,11,114), followed by Maharashtra 68.7% (74,342), Rajasthan 65.1% (70,148), Madhya Pradesh 55.4% (68,388), Karnataka 76.4% (57,950) and Gujarat 97.6% (52,357). In the southern States, Kerala has 11,367 (71.7%) schools offering three languages, Andhra Pradesh has 26,696 (43.5%) schools while Telangana has 26,828 (62.5%) schools. 

In another reply, Centre revealed that school enrollment in three-language schools stood at 74.7%. Large States having highest enrollment in these schools are Gujarat (97.6%), Karnataka (89.5%), Telangana (89.3%), Maharashtra (87%) and Uttar Pradesh (81%). The lowest among the large States is Tamil Nadu (10.8%), followed by Bihar (58%), Assam (58.6%), Jharkhand (59%). 

War of words

The reply comes amid a raging debate between the Centre and the Tamil Nadu government which has vehemently refused to implement the three-language policy. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had accused his Tamil Nadu counterpart M.K. Stalin of trying to create divisions based on region and language for vote bank. 

“The country should not be divided on the basis of language or region. Every Indian has respect and reverence for Tamil because many elements of Indian heritage are still alive in the language. So, why should we hate Hindi?,” asked Mr. Adityanath in an ANI interview.

In retaliation, Mr. Stalin said,” We don’t oppose any language; we oppose imposition and chauvinism. This is a battle for dignity and justice”. 

Three language policy in schools

Centre’s reply also revealed that states with more number of schools teaching languages are not concentrated to one particular region. North-eastern States like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Southern states like Tamil Nadu and Puducherry have a substantially larger number of schools teaching two languages rather than three.  

Data also revealed that correspondingly, student enrollment in three language schools was much higher than those teaching two. Overall, three-language schools have a 74.7% enrollment across India, compared to 16.8% in two-language schools. In the above mentioned states which preferred two-language schools, the student enrollment was – Arunachal Pradesh (94.8%), Assam (36.4%), Meghalaya (57.1%), Nagaland (36.1%), Tamil Nadu (57.8%) and Puducherry (32.2%). Curiously in Assam and Puducherry enrollment in three-language schools was higher (58.6% and 65.6%), inspite of less number of schools available. Another anomaly is Nagaland which has a 91% student enrollment in schools offering a single language. 

Inspite of the politics over languages, data has revealed that most Indian schools offer three languages and enrollment in such schools are higher. However, the choice of the third language offered by states varies across regions. 

Another parliamentary query into the three-language policy issue revealed that Hindi-speaking states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar offered Urdu, Sanskrit, Punjabi or Marathi as its third language – not a language spoken in Southern India. In contrast all southern states offering three languages – Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana have Hindi as a third option, while their state languages are mandatory first or second languages. Eastern and Western states too follow a similar pattern offering Hindi as a third option, apart from their state languages.

What does NEP say on three-language policy?

The National Education policy, 2020 states that for students in both public and private schools, until at least Grade 5, but preferably till Grade 8, the medium of instruction will be in the home language or the mother tongue, citing research the benefits of multilingualism on cognitive benefits to young students. Unlike the 1968 policy, which emphasised study of Hindi, English and regional language, NEP 2020 provides greater flexibility in the three-language formula, and that no language will be imposed on any State. However, it encourages certain languages like Sanskrit and classical languages like Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia and additionally Pali, Persian, and Prakrit.

This flexibility is not implemented across all schools. Centre’s reply to Ms. Kanimozhi’s query also stated that Kendriya Vidyalayas – which teach children of transferrable Central government employees including defence and para-military officers – have a uniform language policy of Hindi, English and Sanskrit. However, it does allow teaching of other languages for willing students between classes VI to VIII. 

Why the opposition to NEP, specifically in Tamil Nadu?

A recent study by The Hindu’s data team revealed that non-Hindi speakers are generally more open to learning new languages, whereas Hindi speakers exhibit lower multilingualism. Based on data from the 1991 and 2011 Language Census, states like Bihar, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, the percentage of people speaking only the local language has increased to current levels between 80 to 95%. In contrast, Southern states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala have seen a decrease in percentage of people speaking only their native language. States in both coasts of India too have gradually become more multilingual and have uniformly preferred a tri-lingual policy. 

This trend has arisen the debate over ‘Hindi imposition’. Tamil Nadu, which has historically opposed adopting Hindi as a compulsory subject in schools since 1937, has seen violent protests resulting in deaths through the years. It has opposed adopting Hindi as the sole official language in 1965, the Official Language Resolution, 1968, which mandated teaching Hindi in schools. Since then, Tamil Nadu has followed a two-language policy in schools, higher education institutes and offices. 

The most recent opposition to the NEP,2020 has escalated to hostile levels as Centre has withheld funds for the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) amounting to ₹2,152 crore. While Tamil Nadu has signed a memorandum of understanding to introduce the PM Schools for Rising India schools in the State, it did not accept to enforce the provisions of the NEP. Under SSA, atleast 20,000 personnel are yet to receive salary due to the delay in fund disbursal. 

Recently, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan refused any concessions to Tamil Nadu, insisting the state must align “with the Constitution”. In reply, Mr. Stalin declared that the State will not submit to “blackmail” or abandon its historically adopted two-language policy.