NEP 2020 and Indian diversity: Challenges in achieving its aim of three-language formula in Hindi speaking states

National Education Policy 2020 has recommended emphatically that students must be taught, in primary classes, three language out of which there must be two Indian languages. It aims at teaching more languages to students as language is power and teaching and learning of the language will also contribute to the sustenance of the Indian languages. For the states where the languages included in the 8th schedule of the constitution are spoken it seems feasible but for the states i.e. Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, etc. where Hindi is their scheduled language and dialects are spoken but have no mention in the 8th Schedule of the constitution it may face the greatest challenges. This may never be overlooked that India is a land of diversity. As it’s a well-known fact that language is power, it may never be denied that language proves a discriminatory and harassing tool too to those who belong to underprivileged sections of society such as women and Dalits. Keeping in view the language politics at various levels and aims of NEP 2020, this paper attempts to investigate the challenges faced in achieving the desired results based on the three-language formula centring on the underprivileged sections of Indian society. To study this, some literary narratives and language politics and movements in India will be the material for analysis. To analyse material, the postcolonial theory will be used as a tool. The study proves that the three-language formula does not empower underprivileged sections in general and in Hindi-speaking regions in particular