Language education and NEP-2020: opportunities and challenges in tribal communities as living knowledge systems

The use of language is very important for education and the maintenance of culture among tribal people who are allied with the forest and its culture. However, it depends on the situation, as educational institutions have tended to neglect the use of tribes' mother tongues and prefer state languages only. In many tribal areas, especially forest regions. Language is not only a tool of communication but also a source of knowledge about plants, animals, seasons, healing practices, and everyday life. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 aims to address issues related to mother-tongue-based learning in the early years, through multilingual learning, and the inclusion of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS). This study examines the problems and prospects of language education under the NEP-2020, with emphasis on tribal populations in India. The research treats tribal languages as systems of living knowledge linked to folk and oral knowledge.

The study finds that NEP-2020 gives an important opportunity to recognize tribal languages as valuable learning resources rather than barriers to education. It also allows for the inclusion of local culture and ecological knowledge in teaching. However, many challenges remain, such as a shortage of trained teachers, a lack of learning materials in tribal languages, weak infrastructure in tribal areas, and gaps between policy goals and actual practice. Language education among tribal populations requires solid institutional backing and active community involvement, along with their folkloric systems of knowledge.