Prof Sat Prakash Bansal, Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP), Dharamsala, on Wednesday said that the three-language formula proposed under the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020, was a major step towards strengthening Indian languages and national integration. He added that the policy would open wider employment and educational opportunities for students across the country. He has been appointed the nodal officer for Dogri language by the Union Ministry of Education.
Bansal, while addressing a press conference, said that the three-language formula was aimed at connecting the country and promoting linguistic enrichment among students rather than imposing any particular language.
He said that the policy proposed that school students should study three languages — two Indian and one foreign. He referred to opposition by Tamil Nadu and added that attempts to stop students from learning Indian languages would restrict their growth and limit their personality development. “The three-language formula is not about imposing any language. It is a medium to develop linguistic knowledge among students and strengthen national unity,” he asserted.
Bansal said that the knowledge of multiple Indian languages would not only promote emotional integration but also improve employment opportunities for students in different parts of the country. He said language plays a crucial role in communication and employment, especially when students move to other states for jobs, higher education or tourism-related opportunities.
“If students learn different languages during their school education, they will face fewer difficulties while seeking jobs in other states,” he said, adding that the policy would also strengthen the tourism and education sectors by making students more adaptable and culturally aware.
Highlighting the university’s efforts in implementing the NEP, Bansal said that the CUHP was working on a “four-language formula” and actively promoting Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri and Punjabi languages on campus. He said the university’s website was also available in Sanskrit, Hindi and English.
The Vice-Chancellor said that the Union Ministry of Education had appointed him as the nodal officer for promoting the Dogri language across the country. Under the initiative, around 50 textbooks in Dogri had been prepared in collaboration with vice-chancellors and teachers of various universities.
Bansal emphasised the need to equip students with foreign language skills to prepare them for global competition. He said the university had started departments for Chinese and Tibetan languages in addition to English.
He said that students and faculty members at the university came from different parts of the country, making multilingual communication essential for academic and cultural exchange. Keeping this in view, the university regularly organises workshops and activities to train teachers in local languages, he added.
Bansal said that the university would continue making efforts to strengthen Indian languages while promoting the overall academic and professional development of students and teachers.
