THREE LANGUAGE FORMULA
In order to provide facilities for teaching a minority language or mother tongue, State Education Ministers evolved a scheme in 1949. Subsequently, the Union Education Ministry in consultation with States formulated a Three Language Formula. This Formula as enunciated in the National Policy Resolution of 1968 and reiterated in the National Policy on Education 1986 provides Hindi, English and modern Indian language (preferably one of the southern languages) in the Hindi speaking states and Hindi. English and the Regional language in the non-Hindi speaking States. This Formula has created many difficulties for Urdu speakers. The major grievance of Urdu speaking linguistic minority is that their children have been denied the facility of mother tongue instruction. The result is that a large number children of Urdu speakers are learning the regional language instead of the mother tongue as the first language. Accordingly, the Gujral Committee recommended the following modified form of three language formula:
(i) In Hindi speaking States:
(a) Hindi (with Sanskrit as part of the composite course);
(b) Urdu or any other modern Indian language excluding (a) and
(c) English or any other modern European language.
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(ii) In non-Hindi speaking States:
(a) Regional language;
(b) Hindi;
(c) Urdu or any other modern Indian language excluding (a) and (b); and
(d) English or any other modern European language. (4.240)
The Three Language formula, at present in vogue in Andhra Pradesh with a degree of success, may also be adopted as an alternative by the non-Hindi speaking States for Urdu speaking population. The formula is:
(a) Urdu and Hindi (a composite course);
(b) Regional language;
(c) English or any other modern European language. (4.241)
The Gujral Committee felt that in any formula that is worked out, it should be ensured that students are able to study their mother tongue as well as the official language of the State.
The Statewise position of the languages and the stages at which they are taught is as under:
Andhra Pradesh According to Government Statement the Three Language Formula in Urdu medium schools is as follows:
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Urdu : From Class I to X
Telugu : From VI to X. Option to take it in Class III
English/Hindi : Class VIII to X
But the formula is sought to be amended as follows:
Mother tongue : From Class I to X
(Urdu)
Telugu : Class V to X
English/Hindi : Class VI to X
However, United Action Committee for Urdu has demanded as
follows:
Urdu : Class I to X
Telugu : Class III onwards
English : From Class VI for all.
Urdu/Hindi : From Class VIII
(80+20)
In the case of Urdu mother tongue students learning through Telugu or English medium Urdu should be introduced from Class III.
Bihar Bihar State has modified the Three Language Formula in the following manner:
First Language : Hindi, Urdu, Bengali, Oriya, Maithali and Santhali
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Second Language : Hindi for non-Hindi students or Sanskrit
(for Hindi students)
Third Language : English
Department of Education is trying to provide teachers for teaching Urdu under Three Language Formula in Secondary schools.
Urdu as first language is taught under Three Language Formula from classes I to class X in Urdu medium schools. Some witnesses demanded that Urdu should also be taught in classes XI and XII also.
It was also demanded by many witnesses that the facility for teaching Urdu should be provided in non-Urdu medium schools.
Delhi Three Language Formula implemented in Delhi is as follows:
First Language : Hindi
Second Language : English
Third Language : Sanskrit or any minority language.
Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Bengali, Malyalam, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Persian, Kannada, Arabic and Marathi, are taught as minorities languages. In schools run by minority managements where the medium of instruction is also the minority language concerned, the 1st language taught is the minority language.
The complaint made by the Urdu representatives against the implementation of Three Language Formula is that the facility for teaching Urdu is generally provided only to the students whose
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mother tongue is Urdu. There are very few non-Urdu medium schools where Urdu is being taught as a modern Indian Language under Three Language Formula.
Gujarat Three Language Formula in force in Gujarat in Urdu medium schools is as follows:
1. Mother tongue (Urdu) : From Class I
2. Gujarati : From Class III
3. Hindi/English : From Class V
4. English : From Class VIII
5. Classical language : From Class VIII
(Sanskrit, Persian or
Arabic)
Thus the students have to learn five languages including a classical language. Option between Hindi and English in Class V and compulsory English from class VIII appears paradoxical.
It is necessary that in Gujarati medium schools, Urdu minorities should learn Urdu from class III.
Haryana Following Three Language Formula is in vogue in Haryana:
First Language : Hindi from Class I
Second Language : English from Class VI
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Third Language : Any of the following languages Telugu,Sanskrit,Urdu or Punjabi from classes VII to VIII
Urdu as a subject under three language formula is being taught in the schools which are located in Urdu speaking areas.
Currently, Urdu is being taught in Class VII and VIII.
Himachal Pradesh
First Language : Hindi
Second Language : English
Third Language : Urdu, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and
Bengali
Urdu is taught in Classes IX and X under Three Language Formula. Although Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada and Bengali are also taught under this Formula but the Sub-Committee was told that there were only 4 schools teaching these modern Indian Languages. The Sub-Committee is happy to note that Himachal Pradesh is the only state where most of the students whose mother tongue is other than Urdu are learning Urdu under Three Language Formula. All the witnesses were, however, of the opinion that as Urdu is presently taught only in Classes IX and X, the students do not acquire reasonable proficiency in the language. They demanded that Urdu should be taught for three years i.e. from Classes VIII to X.
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Madhya Pradesh According to material secured by the Sub-Committee, Three Language Formula implemented in Madhya Pradesh is as follows:
First Language : Hindi, English, Marathi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Bengali, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam Second Language: Hindi/English Third Language : Hindi, English, Sanskrit, Marathi, Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Arabic, Persian, French and Russian
Although Urdu has been included in three language formula, Urdu teachers have been provided in very few non-Urdu medium schools. Urdu representatives demanded that Urdu teachers should be appointed in such schools as per requirement.
Karnataka The Three Language Formula as in force in Karnataka is as follows:
For Kannada Students:
First Language : Kannada from Class I
Second Language : English from Class V
Third Language : Hindi from Class V
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For Urdu medium students:
First Language : Urdu from Class I
Second Language : Kannada from Class III
Third Language : English or Hindi from Class V
The defect about this formula as pointed out by the non officials is:
(i) for Kannada medium, two languages are introduced in Class V. when Urdu students take a language (Kannada) in class III. Kannada students could also be brought on par with regard to equitable load distribution;
(ii) Urdu medium students are given option between English and Hindi. This keeps them ignorant of one or the other language. Some have proposed Urdu-Hindi composite course from Class V and English from VI for all students; and
(iii) Kannada is optional from class III and no examinations is prescribed. The consensus among non- officials was that Kannada should be compulsory from class III and examination should be held at least from Class IV.
The other point they raised was that the pupils should pass in second and third languages as well as Hindi but the marks should not be counted for determining the rank.
However, the consensus among both officials and non-officials was that a uniform load pattern and stages of introduction of languages should be adopted for the entire country.
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Karnataka Rajya Urdu Teachers' Association in a memorandum stated that to make the teaching of Kannada Language effective and favourite in Urdu schools, it is essential to prepare syllabus and text-books of Kannada with easy language and keeping the cultural background of Urdu speaking minority. (This demand was accepted by the previous government on May 23, 1985, in a discussion with this Association, and formed a Committee for this purpose under the Chairmanship of the Director of Public Instruction (PE) in Karnataka, but no work has been done).
The memorandum also stated that to make Kannada Language study effectively implemented, sufficient number of Kannada teachers should be appointed in Urdu schools on par with the pupil-teacher ratio. Presently, irrespective of the strength of section, only one Kannada teacher is posted in Urdu schools. Hence, the Kannada teachers express their inability to cope up with the work
Maharashtra The Director of Education told the sub-Committee that all the students were given primary education (from Classes I to V) only in mother tongue. Three Language Formula is strictly implemented from Classes VIII to Class X. For the students whose mother tongue is Urdu, Three Language Formula in the Urdu medium schools is as under:
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First Language : Urdu
Second Language : For Classes VI to VIII, a composite
course of Hindi and Marathi
Third Language : English
If a student does not offer this group he can have:
First Language : Urdu
Second Language : Marathi or Marathi+Hindi
(Composite) or Marathi+Sanskrit
(Composite) or Marathi + Pali
(Composite) or Marathi+Ardhamgadhi
(Composite) or a Classical language
or Marathi+Arabic.
Third Language : English
Facility of teaching Urdu under Three Language Formula is not available in Marathi medium schools.
Rajasthan Three Language Formula is implemented in Rajasthan as follows:
First Language : Hindi
Second Language : English
Third Language : Any of the following languages:
Sanskrit, Urdu, Sindhi, Punjabi and
Gujarati
Uttar Pradesh Following is the Three Language Formula implemented in Uttar Pradesh:
First Language : Hindi Classes (VI to VII)
Second Language : English or any other Modern
European Language Classes VI
to VIII.
Third Language : Any language from amongst languages
mentioned in Eighth Schedule of the
Constitution Classes VI to VIII.
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Facility for teaching Urdu under Three Language Formula has been provided only in a few schools. A large number of office bearers of Urdu organisations and Urdu writers, poets, journalists expressed their discontentment about the attitude of the Department of Education in this regard. It was brought to the notice of the sub-Committee that there was a large number of schools where the number of students willing to learn Urdu is quite sizeable. But the teachers have not been provided by the Department of Education. It was alleged that learning through Urdu medium or studying Urdu as a subject is not encouraged by the Department. It was also complained that there was not a single non-Urdu medium school in which facility of Urdu teaching is provided.
West Bengal
Three Language Formula in West Bengal is as follows:
First Language : Bengali, Hindi, English, Nepali,
Urdu, Assamese, Gujarati,Malayalam,
Marathi, Modern Tibetan,
Oriya, Punjabi (Gurmukhi), Santhali,
Tamil, Telugu, Lushai,
Sudani - Classes VI to X
Second Language : English, Bengali, Nepali - Classes
VI to X
Third Language : Bengali, Hindi, Sanskrit, Pali,
Persian, Arabic, Latin, Greek,
Classical Armenian, French,
Russian, Portuguese, Spanish and
Italian
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