Rajasthan to incorporate local dialects into classroom teaching

Rajasthan has launched a multilingual education initiative in government schools to make classroom learning more engaging and effective by teaching children in familiar local dialects alongside standard languages. The programme, officials say, is designed to bridge the gap between home and school language , aligning with broader educational reforms emphasising mother‑tongue instruction in early grades under the National Education Policy.

Shweta Phagediya, Director of the Rajasthan State Council of Educational Research and Training (RSCERT) , said the initiative will encourage the use of everyday regional words such as ‘ladu’, ‘rotlo’, and ‘moto bapo’ in place of standard Hindi terms to help students feel more comfortable and build confidence. The pilot phase is being rolled out in 11 districts where surveys identified over 30 distinct dialects spoken by students, with ‘Wagdi’ and ‘Mewari’ among the most prevalent.

The programme, supported by UNICEF and other partners including community groups, builds on years of grassroots multilingual education efforts that combine children’s first languages with classroom instruction to strengthen literacy and comprehension. In tribal areas of southern Rajasthan, earlier programmes that integrated mother‑tongue teaching showed improvements in children’s understanding, participation and basic literacy skills across early grades, according to educational assessments.

Officials noted that pilot efforts in Dungarpur and Sirohi districts have already boosted student attendance from 58 per cent to 66 per cent and enhanced basic reading and writing abilities, underscoring the benefits of language‑familiar instruction. To support teachers, the education department has developed workbooks, storybooks and activities in 11 local languages along with teacher guides and classroom resources.

The programme’s phased expansion will consider linguistic diversity among districts, with teacher training and community engagement integral to success. Education experts say such mother‑tongue or home language approaches can foster deeper cognitive development and stronger foundational learning, especially in early schooling.