Under Article 350A, the Indian Constitution guarantees education in the mother tongue for linguistic minorities, yet a large number of schoolchildren at the primary level continue to be taught in a foreign language.1 Prior to 2006, access to mother-tongue education had not been provided in Orissa, which contributed to the lower educational achievements of children from the Scheduled Tribes (STs), as well as to their low enrolment, high dropout, and absenteeism rates. In short, ST children were excluded from the school institution because of language. Moreover, ST communities were locked out of the formal education system because it simply did not cater to their needs nor give recognition to their culture. Many studies have also shown that non-mother-tongue education places girl children at a greater disadvantage than their male counterparts and access to schooling is most limited when schools expect these girl children to have linguistic resources that do not exist in their environment. Thus there is a strong link between language and gender injustice. To address these problems, in 2006, the Government of Orissa along with UNICEF initiated the Multilingual Education Intervention (MLE) in the tribal-dominated districts of the state. Since 2007, MLE has been introduced in 200 schools, covering ten tribal language groups across eight districts of Orissa. To examine the extent to which the MLE intervention is socially inclusive, and to study its impact on the inclusion of STs in state education, the team surveyed two villages in Keonjhar district, situated in north-eastern Orissa, where MLE has been operating for a year. The selected villages are populated solely by the Juang tribe, one of the most populous STs in Keonjhar district and also one of India’s primitive tribes. The MLE intervention has already developed a track record of success in these villages, raising hopes that if MLE could be implemented successfully here, then there is potential for scaling-up in other areas. The team conducted interviews with various functionaries at the state, district, block, village, and school levels in order to better understand the intervention. In addition, focus group discussions (FGDs) were held with Juang children and community members to gain insights into the views 1 Part XVII, Chapter IV: Special Directive, 350A. Facilities for instruction in mother tongue at the primary stage. It states: ‘It shall be the endeavour of every state and of every local authority within the state to provide adequate facilities for instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education to children belonging to linguistic minority groups; and the President may issue such directions to any state as he considers necessary or proper for securing the provision of such facilities.’ 8 of the intended beneficiaries regarding the intervention, to capture the experiences of MLEeducated children, and to learn about the processes and practices followed in MLE schools. The case study demonstrates that the MLE intervention has had a positive affect on enrolment rates, has led to decreased dropout rates, and has raised community awareness of and participation in education. Although MLE does not feature a gender dimension, it runs alongside the National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL) and indirectly raises parents’ awareness of the importance of education for children regardless of gender. The MLE curriculum has created a new enthusiasm for the school institution as it aims to foster child-centred learning, as well as providing a place and voice for parents within the school. In addition, as the curriculum has been developed according to Juang folklore and tradition, MLE has encouraged the community to take pride in their own culture and values. Despite the aforementioned successes, many gaps and challenges still remain. A shortage of qualified tribal teachers, limited MLE funds, poor school infrastructure, and low community engagement with and involvement in educational issues persist. In considering these shortcomings, this case study draws attention to some general proposals and some more specific suggestions with particular reference to the girl child. 9