Beyond the Eighth Schedule: addressing the gaps in India’s multilingual language policy

India's commitment to protecting language diversity through frameworks such as the Eighth Schedule, the Three-Language Formula (TLF), and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 reflects India's multilingual identity. Despite these pronouncements, there are still notable disparities in the institutional support, educational inclusion, and recognition of several non-Scheduled and tribal (indigenous) languages. This paper critically analyses India's multilingual language policy framework, with special reference to the Eighth Schedule, multilingual education programmes, and the NEP-2020. The study adopts a qualitative policy review approach based on critical and descriptive interpretive analysis to critically analyze how educational practices, socio-political organisations, and constitutional recognition influence linguistic hierarchy and unequal language access in India. According to the study’s findings, several non-Scheduled and tribal languages are marginalised in India as a result of multilingualism's unequal implementation and frequent symbolic promotion. The study's conclusion highlights the necessity of going beyond symbolic multilingualism in favour of a more inclusive and structurally balanced language policy framework that promotes educational access, linguistic justice, and the long-term preservation of India's rich linguistic legacy.