Implementational Status of Multilingual Education Program in Balasore District of Odisha

Multilingualism plays a crucial role in the 21st century which involves the use of multiple languages by an individual speaker or by a group of speakers. From NEP 1968 to NEP 2020, Multilingual Education (MLE) approach has been prioritized to create diversified learning opportunities for learners. With the implementation of NCF (2005), the Government of Odisha started implementing the MLE program in the year 2007-08.The current study contemplates the implementational status of the MLE program in the Balasore district of Odisha to get the ground reality of the program. The present study comes under the scope/purview of descriptive survey type research design. Through purposive sampling method the researcher selected the Nilgiri block of Balasore district (Nilgiri block is the only block containing all the multilingual schools of Balasore district) of Odisha. The researcher selected twelve schools through simple random sampling method, out of which ten (having Ho language students) were selected as MLE schools and the remaining two as NonMLE schools. Again, class-II students from each sample school (both MLE and Non-MLE schools) and the MLE teachers of the sample MLE schools were selected for the data collection process. Two self-made tools i.e. interview schedule and focus group discussion were used in this study. The data was analyzed and interpreted through ttest and content analysis technique. The present study reveals that there is no significant difference between academic achievement level of MLE school students and Non-MLE school students. It also flashes light on the optimistic perception of MLE teachers and students towards the MLE program along with various problems and prospects in the implementation process of the MLE program.