Shimla – In a significant departure from its previous stance, the Himachal Pradesh government has introduced a revamped language policy in government schools, providing students in classes I and II with the option to study in either Hindi or English medium from the upcoming academic session.
The move comes after extensive consultations with various stakeholders and a reconsideration of the earlier decision to exclusively teach classes I and II in English medium, as stated in a notification issued on December 12, 2023. The revised notification, released recently, emphasizes flexibility, aligning the state’s education system with the approach adopted by private schools.
Under the new policy, the 10,300 primary schools in Himachal Pradesh will gradually incorporate English medium instruction, commencing with classes 1 and 2 in the academic session 2024-25. Further expansion into two additional classes is planned for the academic session 2025-26. The phased implementation aims to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting the entire primary school system simultaneously.
To facilitate this shift, the Education Department, in collaboration with the State Project Directorate of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, has been tasked with making necessary preparations. Special emphasis is placed on organizing workshops for teachers during sessions to equip them with the skills needed for effective teaching in the new medium.
While the current curriculum includes books in Hindi, English and Mathematics for the first class, with two books in English, the language policy ensures that Hindi and English components remain unaffected. However, Mathematics will be exclusively taught in English medium. Teachers will undergo specialized training to adapt to the new instructional approach.
