3.1.6 Teaching methods: The routine teaching methods have taken a toll on student engagement and retention. The NEP 2020 and NCFSE 2023 have laid down provisions for making pedagogy and assessment more joyful, engaging and project-based to open the learning process to much wider adoption and integration of technology. Adaptive learning systems, personalised instructions, gamification of learning, etc., are all possible through these innovative pedagogical approaches. 4. CHALLENGES RELATED TO THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION ‘Language’ and ‘Literacy’ are two aspects of learning that are essential for every young learner. While ‘Language’ is understood to be the social tool that allows us to interact and cooperate with one another through oral communication, ‘Literacy’ also includes reading, writing and comprehension skills aside from communication skills. If the language of instruction is inaccessible, the child neither acquires language nor literacy skills and is left to ‘sink or swim’ on their own, in the classroom. As per Section 29(f) of ‘The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009’, medium of instruction shall, as far as practicable, be the child's mother tongue. NEP 2020 notes that young children learn and grasp non-trivial concepts more quickly in their home language/mother tongue. Home language is usually the same language as the mother tongue or that which is spoken by local communities. 4.1 Importance of literacy skills As per UNESCO, acquiring literacy is a continuous process. Beyond its traditional definition as a set of reading, writing, and math skills, literacy is seen as a way of identifying, comprehending, interpreting, creating, and communicating in a world that is becoming increasingly digital, text-mediated, information-rich, and dynamic. A larger range of abilities, such as digital skills, media literacy, education for sustainable development and global citizenship, and job-specific skills, are all included in the concept of literacy, which is a continuum of learning and proficiency in reading, writing, and using numbers throughout life. As people interact with information and learn through digital technology more and more, literacy skills are growing and evolving as a result. People are empowered and liberated by literacy. Beyond its significance as a component of the right to education, literacy enhances people's lives by increasing their capacity, which decreases poverty, boosts labour market participation, and has favourable effects on health and sustainable development. Empowerment of women via literacy has a good knock-on effect on many facets of development. They have more personal freedom and an immediate impact on their families' health and education, particularly the education of young girls. For retention and progress in subsequent Grades, learning to read in the early years of primary school is essential. The foundation of development is literacy. Better health, more favourable employment prospects, and safer and more stable societies are the results. When students have higher literacy levels, our economy benefits. Effective literacy abilities open up more educational and employment opportunities, enabling people to escape poverty and persistent underemployment. It is crucial for individuals to continuously broaden their knowledge and pick up new skills in order to stay up with 52 Journal of the National Human Rights Commission, Vol. 22, 2023