At a time when English medium schools have become the new norm especially in urban setups, the new National Education Policy (NEP) announced by the Central government on Wednesday suggested focusing on the mother-tongue or local language as the teaching medium for a child's first five years of education.

While many have criticised the new policy saying it will restrict the exposure children get, some experts said that the focus must be on ease of communication at a younger age. At the same time, society as diverse as India has classes with children belonging to different regions and thus distinct mother tongues.