State of the Education Report for India 2025: UNESCO’s Call for Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education

State of the Education Report for India 2025 by UNESCO highlights mother tongue-based multilingual education, NEP 2020 alignment, key findings and recommendations.

Table of Contents

The State of the Education Report for India 2025, titled “Bhasha Matters: Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education”, released by UNESCO, makes a strong and evidence-based case for adopting mother tongue–based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) across India’s schooling system. The report highlights how language lies at the heart of educational equity, learning outcomes, and cultural inclusion, especially in a linguistically diverse country like India.

What is the State of the Education Report for India 2025?

The State of the Education Report for India is UNESCO’s annual flagship publication, aimed at strengthening education discourse and policymaking in India. The 2025 edition, released on 16 December 2025 in New Delhi, is the seventh report in the series and focuses exclusively on Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education.

Key Highlights:

Title: Bhasha Matters: State of the Education Report for India 2025
Publisher: UNESCO
Focus Area: Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)
Partner Organisations: UNICEF India, British Council India
Alignment: NEP 2020, National Curriculum Frameworks (2022 & 2023)

Why Language Matters in Indian Education

India is home to 1,369 languages, making it one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. However, a large number of children begin formal education in a language different from their home or first language, leading to:

Poor comprehension in early grades
Low classroom participation
Weak foundational literacy and numeracy
Higher dropout rates, especially among tribal and marginalised communities

UNESCO stresses that children learn best when education begins in a language they understand.

“Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education is the foundation for educational inclusion, linguistic diversity preservation and enhanced learning outcomes.”
— Tim Curtis, Director, UNESCO Regional Office for South Asia

What is Mother Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE)?

MTB-MLE is an educational approach where:

The child’s first language (mother tongue/home language) is used as the medium of instruction in early years.
Additional languages (regional, national, global) are introduced gradually.
Learning progresses through planned multilingual pathways, rather than abrupt language transitions.

Benefits of MTB-MLE:

Better cognitive development
Improved reading and comprehension skills
Higher retention and attendance
Stronger conceptual understanding
Preservation of linguistic and cultural identity

Alignment with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020

The report closely aligns with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which recognises language as a central pillar of foundational learning.

NEP 2020 Key Provision:

Recommends home language/local language as the medium of instruction till at least Grade 5 and preferably till Grade 8.

According to the Ministry of Education, multilingual education is critical for achieving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) under the NIPUN Bharat Mission.

Evidence from the Ground: What the Report Found

The report is based on extensive field research across states such as Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and other tribal and rural regions. It draws evidence from:

Classrooms and schools
Teacher education institutions
Community-led initiatives
Digital and language technology innovations

Observed Outcomes:

Improved reading comprehension
Increased classroom engagement
Enhanced confidence among first-generation learners
Stronger foundations for lifelong learning

These improvements were most visible where home languages were respected and integrated into teaching.

Key Recommendations of the State of the Education Report for India 2025

UNESCO proposes ten major recommendations to strengthen multilingual education in India:

1. National Mission on MTB-MLE

Establish a coordinated national mission.
Strengthen Centre–State institutional alignment while respecting federal diversity.

2. State-Level Language-in-Education Policies

Develop clear, context-specific policies grounded in MTB-MLE.
Avoid one-size-fits-all language solutions.

3. Teacher Recruitment and Capacity Building

Recruit teachers with multilingual competence.
Strengthen professional standards for language teaching.

4. Reform Teacher Education

Embed multilingual pedagogy in pre-service and in-service training.
Equip teachers to handle multilingual classrooms effectively.

5. Community and Indigenous Knowledge Integration

Institutionalise community participation.
Integrate local and indigenous knowledge systems into school practices.

6. Multilingual Learning Materials

Develop quality textbooks, assessments, and digital resources in multiple languages across grades.

7. Gender-Responsive MTB-MLE

Apply MTB-MLE across middle, secondary and alternative schooling.
Address gender-based barriers to learning.

8. Digital Public Infrastructure

Leverage digital platforms for multilingual content and teacher mentoring.

9. Inclusive Language Technologies

Invest in translation tools, speech technologies, and AI.
Bridge the digital divide for marginalised learners.

10. Sustainable and Equitable Financing

Ensure long-term funding for multilingual education.
Support language-responsive digital innovations.

Cultural and Symbolic Significance

The report launch featured a multilingual musical rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s Gitanjali in Bangla, Hindi, and Gujarati, symbolising:

India’s linguistic richness
The spirit of unity in diversity
The cultural foundations of multilingual education

Conclusion

The State of the Education Report for India 2025 makes it clear that language is not just a medium of instruction, but a medium of inclusion. Mother tongue-based multilingual education is essential for achieving equitable learning outcomes, reducing dropouts, and preserving India’s rich linguistic heritage.

By aligning global evidence with NEP 2020, UNESCO’s Bhasha Matters report offers a clear roadmap for building an education system that is inclusive, effective, and culturally rooted.