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@article{202253,
        author = {Khokon Mallick and Ankit Pal},
        title = {Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE): Challenges and Pathways for Integrating Tribal Languages into Formal Education},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {12},
        pages = {5910-5918},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=202253},
        abstract = {India’s linguistic diversity is vast and complex in nature; however, rapid socio-economic changes and the dominance of mainstream languages have placed many dialects and local languages at high risk. Although the National Education Policy 2020 advocates Mother-Tongue Based Multilingual Education (MTB-MLE) and emphasizes the use of the mother tongue in early learning, a significant gap persists between policy provisions and their effective implementation in educational settings. This paper offers a conceptual analysis of integrating tribal language preservation within India’s multilingual education environment by addressing this policy practice divide. It examines key challenges, including the shortage of trained teachers, lack of instructional materials in tribal languages, limited institutional support and socio-cultural barriers. In the presented paper a conceptual framework is proposed that links policy, institutional mechanisms, community engagement and technological integration for effective implementation. The study further highlights the importance of community participation, Indigenous knowledge systems and digital innovations such as local language content and digital archives in sustaining linguistic diversity. The paper suggests that meaningful inclusion of tribal languages in formal education is essential for promoting equity, cultural continuity and inclusive learning. It concludes by suggesting strategic pathways aligned with NEP 2020 to strengthen mother-tongue based multilingual education (MTB-MLE) and ensure sustainable language preservation.},
        keywords = {Tribal Language Preservation, Multilingual Education, NEP 2020, Mother Tongue-Based Education, Indigenous Languages},
        month = {May},
        }