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UNESCO Report 2025 on Mother Tongue Education: NEP 2020's MTB-MLE Push for 121 Languages and 44% Children

Social IssuesPolityHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains HighStatic GK Link
20 Feb 2026
~2 min
Source: The Hindu
Key Data:Over 1,300 mother tongues121 constitutionally recognised languages44% children with language mismatch7th UNESCO report edition (2025)21 tribal languages in Odisha program~90,000 children in Odisha program
Bodies:UNESCONCERT
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What This Article Covers

1.UNESCO's 2025 'Bhasha Matters' report emphasizes Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) as pedagogically sound and transformative, outlining 10 policy recommendations.

2.Nearly 44% of Indian children face a language barrier at school entry, leading to weak foundational skills and higher dropout risks, per NCERT 2022 data.

3.The report calls for a National Mission for MTB-MLE, leveraging digital tools like DIKSHA and BHASHINI, and highlights successful state models like Odisha's program across 21 tribal languages.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · High

A new UNESCO report underscores the critical need for Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in India, aligning with NEP 2020's focus. With 44% of children entering school with a language different from the medium of instruction, this policy is key to improving learning outcomes, reducing dropouts, and leveraging India's linguistic diversity as a national strength.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

Mother Tongues (Census 2011)Over 1,300
Constitutionally Recognised Languages121
Children with Language Mismatch (NCERT 2022)44%
UNESCO Report Edition (2025)7th
Odisha MTB-MLE Program Scale21 tribal languages, 17 districts, ~90,000 children
International Mother Language DayFebruary 21

1-Minute Revision

  • ›Mother Tongues (Census 2011): Over 1,300
  • ›Constitutionally Recognised Languages: 121
  • ›Target this Data: 44% of children face a language mismatch at school (NCERT 2022).
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) and NCERT.
  • ›Target this Policy: National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's emphasis on mother tongue as medium of instruction.

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Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which United Nations agency publishes the 'State of the Education Report for India' that focused on Mother Tongue and Multilingual Education in 2025?

Q2Statement-basedMedium

Consider the following statements regarding Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in India:

1. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places the child's home or mother tongue at the centre of early education.

2. According to NCERT (2022), over 50% of children in India enter school speaking a language different from the medium of instruction.

3. UNESCO's 2025 report recommends a National Mission for MTB-MLE to coordinate action across various stakeholders.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the 2011 Census of India, how many languages are constitutionally recognised in the country?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

What is the primary objective of promoting Mother-Tongue-Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) in India, as highlighted in the UNESCO report?

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