The question of language, specially at the school level, is important for any people in any country. In a country such as India where nationalism is still in the process of development and which is unique in having 14 major national languages, the question of language becomes even more important.
From the second half of the 19th century when the national struggle for freedom started in India it was recognised that a common language was necessary for communication all over India. The point at issue was whether it would be Hindi or Urdu or a mixture of two called Hindustani. This issue was resolved after 1947 when the Constituent Assembly took a decision in favour of Hindi. However, bearing in mind the concrete situation, a formula called the 'three-language formula' was hammered out.
The spirit of this formula was that everyone would learn Hindi in addition to English and the regional language. This implied that in the Hindi speaking state, a third language, preferably a southern language, would be taught.
The implementation of this formula has faced many problems. One of the concrete problems being that people do not learn languages for themselves but for some advantage. Where people live in areas adjacent to two language groups it is not difficult to persuade them to learn both the languages. In other cases, people learn languages which bring them some economic or cultural benefit.
Dr. Santosh Aggarwal has examined the entire complex set of issues with special reference to the matter of its implementation in the school curriculum. Since the three-language formula and attendant problems are likely to face us for a considerable period, I am quite sure that Dr. Santosh Aggarwal's research in the topic would be found both useful and timely.
The present work is a research study done on the three-language policy of the Government of India. This study includes a historical survey of the languages used and learnt. The present work is a humble effort in this direction. I have tried to substantiate my treatment of the subject with the help of field work, and the opinion of the students as well as the cross section of society. I have incorporated a comparative study of the language policy of some of the foreign countries like the U.S.S.R., Africa and several others.
The present work was submitted for the Ph.D. thesis from Delhi University. This opportunity was availed of by me under the Teacher Fellowship scheme but for which it would not have been possible for me to pursue my research study and as such I owe my heartiest thanks to Professor Satish Chandra-the Ex-Chairman of U.G.C.
I wish to express my heartfelt thanks to the principals of schools and men of eminence in public life who helped me in providing information related to my research work in a number of ways.
My thanks are also due to the staff of several renowned libraries, centres of advanced studies and several university centres for permit-ting me to consult books and personnel from time to time.
I express my sincere thanks to the Education Attaches of the Embassies/High Commissions of the U.S.S.R., Indonesia, Tanzania and Nigeria.
I am extremely grateful and obliged to my guide Prof. (Miss) K. Bose, till recently Dean, Faculty of Education, University of Delhi, who has all along been a source of inspiration to me. It is only due to her able guidance and constant advice that I could pursue my research work.
I shall be failing in my duty if I do not acknowledge the immense assistance, I got from my friend Dr. (Miss) Savitri Saxena, of the Department of Skt. D.S.C., University of Delhi, who helped me in no mean measure. In any case, a brief mention in preface is a small repayment for the debt of gratitude that I owe to her.
It will be unjustified if I do not recognise the help given by my brother Dr. R.K. Agrawal, Deputy C.M.O., Northern Railway who. in spite of many hurdles has always been a source of encouragement in the completion of my work.
I owe my thanks to Prof. S. Shukla, former Head and Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Delhi, for his constant inspiration in the completion of my research study.
My deep gratitudes to Babujilate Shri Ram Richpal Saxena (my friend Dr. Savitri Saxena's father) who had always been a source of inspiration for taking up this research work.
I also owe my heartfelt thanks to the late Principal, S.S. Kothari and the then Secretary of the Management Committee of my college, who were kind enough to sanction me study leave for this work.
I am extremely grateful and obliged to those persons and acquaintances especially to Dr. N.K. Mishra, Prof. and Head, Department of Physiology, Himachal Pradesh University, Simla: who, in some or the other way have been helping me in the completion of my work.
I am also thankful to my typist Shri R. Padmanabhan for his late night sitting and excellent timely work. Last but not the least I am thankful to M/s Gian Publishing House who have taken up this work for publication.
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