Regional Languages ​​in Bihar Schools: Bhojpuri and Maithili to be Taught in Bihar Schools – What is the Government’s Initiative?

Starting from the 2026-27 academic session, primary students in Classes 1 and 2 in Bihar’s government schools will be taught in their own regional languages. This initiative aligns with the guidelines of the National Education Policy (NEP).

Regional Languages ​​in Bihar Schools: Children studying in Bihar’s government schools will now have the opportunity to learn in their regional languages. From the 2026-27 academic session, primary students in Classes 1 and 2 will be taught in their respective regional languages. This initiative follows the National Education Policy, which advocates for using a child’s home language or mother tongue as the medium of instruction during the foundational stage of education. According to reports, this policy will encompass six major regional languages ​​spoken across the state, including Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili.

SCERT is Developing Textbooks

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) in Bihar has been tasked with developing textbooks, supplementary readers, and interactive visual aids in all six regional languages. Instead of focusing on complex grammar, the early primary curriculum will emphasize phonetics, local folk tales, poems, community-based activities, regional fairs, and everyday cultural references. This approach is designed to make classroom learning more familiar and engaging, facilitating a smoother transition from the languages ​​spoken at home to standard formal Hindi.

Which 6 Languages ​​Will Be Taught?

According to Bihar’s Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari, textbooks are being prepared in six local languages: Bhojpuri, Magahi, Surjapuri, Bajjika, Maithili, and Angika. Instruction for children will be conducted in these six languages. Books to be provided to 4 million children

Under this initiative by the Bihar government, approximately 4 million (40 lakh) children will be provided with books completely free of charge. The printing of over 12 million (1.20 crore) new books has already begun to ensure they reach these children. It is worth noting that the Bihar government will spend approximately 250 crore rupees on this entire initiative.

Impact of this new initiative on learning

State education officials state that forcing children to engage with unfamiliar languages—other than their mother tongue—often hinders the learning process and causes students to lose focus. Conversely, learning in their mother tongue strengthens children's cognitive pathways, enhancing their comprehension and foundational numeracy skills. Furthermore, when students are permitted to use the language spoken by their families and communities, they express themselves with greater confidence. According to state education officials, the Education Department is also planning to conduct special orientation workshops to train primary school teachers in bilingual pedagogy. This will enable teachers to more effectively guide students as they transition from their local mother tongue to standard Hindi and English in subsequent grades.

System to be extended to classes 3 through 5

Currently, this Bihar government initiative is being launched for students in classes 1 and 2. The government plans to subsequently extend it to classes 3 through 5. For these grades, the Bihar government will develop books in local languages.