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National Education Day: While experts do not believe English will become irrelevant, proficiency in regional languages could become valuable in the job market.
The growing use of AI in education may encourage schools to reconsider how language is used in classrooms. (Image: Pexels)
From multilingual AI tutors to voice-based learning assistants, technology is beginning to make educational content accessible beyond English. A student struggling to understand a science lesson in English can turn to AI-powered learning tools for an explanation in a familiar Indian language.
According to UNESCO’s State of the Education Report for India 2025, titled “Bhasha Matters”, the country is home to 1,369 languages. It highlights that children learn concepts most rapidly and deeply in their mother tongue. It also recommends mother-tongue, home-language or familiar-language instruction during the foundational stage, supported by a gradual introduction of additional languages as children progress through school.
The report also highlights the importance of multilingual teaching approaches at different stages of education, rather than treating language learning as a separate activity from subject learning.
In September 2026, IIT Madras-incubated Bodhan AI introduced a Student Tutor Bot for Classes 6 to 12, allowing students to seek explanations, examples and help with academic concepts in 22 Indian languages through text or voice.
Such developments raise an important question: if technology can help students understand complex subjects in a language they are most comfortable with, will English-medium education continue to hold the same advantage?
However, experts believe AI could make education more accessible in regional languages, but English is unlikely to lose its importance in higher education and employment. Instead, the ability to communicate in multiple languages could become an important advantage for students entering an increasingly technology-driven job market.
Dr Umesh Kothari, Assistant Dean PG Programs and Assistant Professor at SP Jain School of Global Management, believes AI is already reducing some of the language barriers that have traditionally influenced access to higher education and global business knowledge. “AI is reducing the language barriers that have traditionally shaped access to higher education and global business knowledge. For MBA students, AI-powered translation tools can make case studies, research and management concepts accessible in regional languages. However, English will remain important for international business and networking. The advantage will increasingly lie in combining language proficiency with business understanding,” he said.
Learning Becomes Easier In A Familiar Language
Rima Singh, Head of DPS International, Gurgaon, believes a child’s home language can also help teachers introduce unfamiliar concepts and gradually build English proficiency. “The language a child speaks at home often turns out to be the most natural bridge towards English. A teacher can introduce a new concept in that familiar language and then present it in English. This allows the new concept to attach to an idea the child already holds. Discussions can open in the home language and move gradually into English as the child’s comfort grows. With understanding secured in the home language, the child takes part fully in every lesson and becomes comfortable with English at a natural pace,” she said.
One major government initiative in this area is BHASHINI, the National Language Translation Mission’s AI-powered language technology platform. It offers services such as machine translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech and transliteration to support multilingual digital access.
According to the official BHASHINI portal, the platform currently lists support for more than 34 languages, over 327 AI models and more than eight billion language inferences.
Current AI tools have become increasingly capable of explaining school-level subjects in several Indian languages, said Singh adding that translations in “Bengali, Hindi, Tamil, Kannada and Marathi are fluent and coherent.”
“This means a student can meet a subject in the language they know best and follow it clearly. The teacher remains at the heart of this process, shaping how the tools are used in the classroom. Under that guidance, AI works as a supporting aid beside the teacher and the textbook. It also nurtures the child’s growing fluency and curiosity,” she said.
However, the reliability of AI-generated explanations, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and science, remains an important consideration. Human supervision will continue to be necessary to ensure accuracy. “AI can offer students a clear first explanation, along with step-by-step examples, in their own language. It is the teacher’s guidance, however, that turns these explanations into dependable learning. Teachers can review them for accuracy, particularly the technical terms, to ensure the material stays aligned with textbooks and examinations,” Singh told News18.
“The language of instruction directly influences conceptual understanding. When students learn in a familiar language, they can focus on the subject rather than translating unfamiliar terminology,” Kothari stated, further adding that this becomes equally important in higher education, where students are expected to understand complex subjects and apply their knowledge to practical situations.
A three-year Multilingual Education in India (MultiEd) project, led by the British Council with the University of Cambridge and academic institutions in India and Germany, studied multilingual teaching in English-medium government primary schools in Delhi and Assam.
The findings showed that structured multilingual teaching improved students’ comprehension of complex texts, particularly in Environmental Studies, while boosting engagement, participation and confidence. Teachers reported no negative impact on English learning. The research highlighted how using home and regional languages through lesson planning, classroom interaction and vocabulary support can strengthen subject understanding while helping children develop English proficiency.
Regional Languages In Higher Education And Jobs
Despite the growing role of AI translation, experts do not believe English will become irrelevant. As businesses expand into smaller cities and emerging consumer markets, proficiency in regional languages could also become valuable in the job market.
Its importance in international education, research, corporate communication and professional networking is likely to continue. While understanding local languages and cultural contexts can help professionals communicate with consumers and identify market requirements.
Kothari believes English continues to be important during recruitment, particularly in fields such as consulting, finance, multinational operations and client management, “however, employers are increasingly evaluating candidates on their ability to communicate ideas, interpret data and solve business problems. Clear communication and professional confidence matter more than having a particular accent or flawless grammar. AI tools can support communication but cannot replace these capabilities.”
Teacher Training Needed in AI?
The growing use of AI in education may encourage schools to reconsider how language is used in classrooms. The challenge, however, will be to ensure that AI tools are accurate, accessible and aligned with the curriculum, while teachers receive the training needed to use them effectively.
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“Adopting AI-based multilingual tools calls for some practical preparation. Dependable connectivity and accessible devices are the starting point. Short training sessions can also help teachers grow comfortable with the tools. Learning resources need to be aligned with the curriculum, and student privacy deserves careful attention so that families feel able to trust the process. The transition becomes easier still when school leaders, parents and educators support it together. Through it all, the focus should remain on helping children become fluent, confident speakers, readers and writers in several languages,” said Singh.
Quick Answers
Ask News18The BHASHINI platform serves as the National Language Translation Mission’s AI-powered language technology platform, offering services like machine translation, speech-to-text, text-to-speech, and transliteration to support multilingual digital access. It currently lists support for more than 34 languages, over 327 AI models, and more than eight billion language inferences to help make educational content accessible beyond English.
Ask News18About the Author
Sukanya Nandy is a sub-editor at News18.com. She has been reporting for the education and careers section of the website since 2021. She completed her graduation in English followed Journalism and Mas…Read More
November 11, 2026, 08:36 IST
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