To provide for compulsory Third Language Education from primary to senior secondary level in all the schools throughout the country. It shall be imperative for each student to take up a Third language other than Hindi, English or The Student's Mother tongue, as Third language. The Language Chosen shall be one of the languages mentioned in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and for making it obligatory for the Central and State Governments to provide requisite infrastructure for the purpose and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.

BE it enacted by Parliament in the Seventy First Year of the Republic of India as follows:—
1. Short title and Act commencement.
1. (I) This Act may be called the The Third Language Bill, 2020
(2) It extends to the whole of India.
(3) It shall come into force on such date, as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. Definitions.
In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-—
(a) “appropriate Government” means in the case of a State, the Government of the State, and in other cases the Central Government;
(b) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under this Act;
(c) “school” includes Government school Government aided school or at private school which imparts education;
(d) “language infrastructure” means requisite resources for teacher's training, appointment of teachers, faculty staff etc. and requisite environment as are required necessary in the school; and
(e) “Third Language’ means Languages Contained in Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

3. National Policy for Third Language Implementation and infrastructure thereof
3. (I) The Central Government shall, as soon as may be, but not later than one year of the commencement of the Act, formulate a National Policy for providing Third Language education in all schools of the country and ensuring requisite infrastructure and other education and facilities required.

(2) The national policy referred to in sub-section (I) shall provide for,-
(i) Including Third Language education for all the students as part of their syllabus in all the schools;
(ii) Encouraging students to learn an Indian language and thereby introducing the student to Rich Literature, New Culture and Tradition among the schools students;
(iii) Ensuring the availability of Third language Teacher in all the schools;
(iv) releasing adequate funds for infrastructure development for teaching Third language in all the schools;
(v) incorporating Third language as compulsory subjects in all the schools;
(vi) preparing standard and qualitative syllabus for Third language as per the class thereof;
(vii) providing scholarship and stipend to those students whose Grades/marks in Third language has been outstanding;
(viii) giving weightage to marks obtained in Third language for admission in colleges, universities, and institutions of national importance;
(ix) giving preference to the outstanding students in direct recruitment under the Central and State Government services; and
(x) such other provisions, as the Central Government may deem fit and necessary for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

4. Appropriate Government to Implement National Policy.
(I) It shall be the duty of the appropriate Government to implement the National Policy formulated under section 3 of this Act.
(2) The appropriate Government shall review the progress and quality of Third language education being imparted by the schools form time to time, in such manner as may be prescribed.

5. Penal Provisions
Any school which violates the provisions of this Act shall be liable for punitive action by the appropriate Government, including withdrawal of recognition of the school in such marmer and with such condition, as may be prescribed.

6. Central Government to provide Funds.
The Central Government shall; after due appropriation made by Parliament by law in this behalf, provide requisite funds from time to time for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

7. Act to Supplement Other Laws.
The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being in force dealing with the subject matter of this Act.

8. Power to make Rules
The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, make rules for carrying out the purposes of this Act.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS
India is a Unique Nation of innumerable Languages, Culture and Traditions. Total Number of languages spoken in India is 780. these can be divided into several language families, the major ones being.
1. Indo-Aryan languages spoken by 78.05% of Indians
2. The Dravidian languages spoken by 19.64% of Indians and
3. Remaining 2.31% of the population belong to the Austroasiatic, Sino-Tibetan, Tai-Kadai and a few other minor language families and isolates.

This astrounding number of languages hold the key to India's Diversity. The Truest unity of our nation will depend on the future generation's Understanding, appriciation, preservation, protection and contribution to all the languages spoken in India.

The nation will Thrive when a Bengali, takes up Tamil as Third language and in times to come enriches the Tamil language, or a Punjabi writing poems in Bengali, A Marathi contributing to Telugu Literature. This will be the finest hour of India's Unity in Diversity After all we are a Remarkable Nation of Diversity.

Hence This Bill
Srimati Shanta Chhetri
Hon'ble MP Rajya Sabha

FINANCIAL MEMORANDUM
Clause 3 of the Bill provides for inclusion of Third Language education in all schools syllabus, adolcent funds for infrastructure development and scholarship and stipends for outstanding students in Third Language. Clause 6 makes it obligatory for the Central Government to provide requisite funds for carrying out the purposes of the Bill. The Bill if enacted, will involve expenditure from the Consolidated Fund of India. It is not possible to quantify the actual expenditure at this juncture, but it is estimated that a sum of rupees one thousand crores may be as recurring expenditure per annum.

A non-recurring expenditure to the tune of rupees two thousand crore may also be involved for creating various assets throughout the country.

MEMORANDUM REGARDING DELEGATED LEGISLATION
Clause 8 of the Bill empowers the Central Government to make rules for carrying out the purposes of the Bill. The rules will relate to matters of details only. The delegation of legislative power is of normal character.