Is Hindi a Threat to Telugu Under NEP 2020?
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has sparked concerns, especially in South India. Some fear that Hindi is being promoted in a way that could weaken regional languages like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Konkani, and Tulu. The three-language formula in the policy has led to debates about whether it undermines local languages.
In Telangana, the role of Telugu in education and government jobs provides an interesting case study. In the Group-I main examination under notification no. 02 of 2024, candidates had to appear for six qualifying papers, including subjects like English, General Essay, History, Geography, Constitution, Science & Technology, and an exclusive paper on the Telangana Movement.
According to the Telangana Public Service Commission (TGPSC), 20,161 answer scripts were evaluated for this exam. Of these, 12,323 candidates wrote in English, 7,829 in Telugu, and only 9 in Urdu. However, once these candidates enter government jobs, they will mostly use Telugu and Urdu to interact with the public. This raises questions about why so many people prefer studying in English when Telugu remains essential for official communication.
A similar trend is visible in the Intermediate Public Examinations (IPE) for 2025. Out of 9.96 lakh students appearing for the exams, more than 80% are writing in English. The same preference for English extends to students in undergraduate and postgraduate courses in both government and private colleges.
A senior professor from Osmania University pointed out that the entire education system, with massive government and private investments, is centered around English. He also noted that students and professionals are more focused on global opportunities rather than local needs. For example, only 2% of the 2.5 lakh engineering and medical graduates from the Telugu states go abroad, while less than 45% find jobs locally due to a lack of English communication or technical skills.
Despite concerns about language policies, Hindi does not seem to play a major role in this issue. The NEP 2020 does not appear to directly threaten Telugu or other South Indian languages. A senior official from the State Higher Education department stated that policymakers and academicians understand the real challenges in the education system. However, instead of addressing fundamental problems, the focus is often shifted to external factors like the promotion of Hindi.
The real issue seems to be the dominance of English in education and employment, rather than Hindi replacing Telugu. The debate on language policy should focus on improving regional language education while balancing the need for global communication skills.
