In 2019, the Uttarakhand government allowed the inclusion of regional languages in the basic school curriculum. This progress was seen as a notable step towards recognising these languages as separate languages rather than mere varieties, thus achieving a certain degree of linguistic recognition. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic saw a decline in enthusiasm for teaching and learning the Garhwali language among teachers and students, which persisted even as the situation improved. This paper examines the factors contributing to the unsuccessful implementation of Garhwali language instruction in select public schools in the Pauri district.

This paper discusses the importance of language-based policy development in relation to the larger neoliberal discourse. It highlights the lack of recognition of Mother tongue medium as a means of achieving economic and social emancipation and also examines the potential obstacles that the New Education Policy (NEP) may encounter in promoting multilingualism in classrooms, specifically in relation to target languages such as Garhwali that may not be viewed as economically viable in the capitalist market. The current Indian government unveiled the New Education Policy, or NEP-2020, in 2020, which thoroughly addresses the Indian education system from primary school to university level. One of the important themes covered in the NEP-2020 is the use of mother tongues in primary education (grades 1–5).

So, where did the implementation run into problems, causing the project to fail prematurely in Uttarakhand? The intent of this article is to investigate the challenges surrounding mother tongue education in certain government schools in Uttarakhand. It makes suggestions for implementing mother-tongue education in Uttarakhand. The feasibility of India's New Education Policy is uncertain in the absence of consistent curriculum implementation, particularly for minoritized languages such as Garhwali.