Rethinking the Effectiveness of English as a Medium of Instruction in Higher Education Institutions

“Learned men from different cities who desire to quickly acquire renown in the discussion, come here in multitudes to settle their doubts, and then the streams (of their wisdom) spread far and wide,” These were the words of Hiuen Tsang, a Chinese Buddhist monk when he visited Nalanda University during Harsavardhan’s reign. The education system in ancient India comprised a well-organized and comprehensive framework that fostered intellectual, moral, and artistic development. Rooted in a rich cultural heritage, it placed great importance on personalized instruction, holistic education, and character building. From 2000 BC until the arrival of Islamic invaders in India, Gurukuls and Universities dotted the landscape of the country. The flourishing of universities like Nalanda, Takshashila, and Mithila and their emphasis on moral values, practical skills, and cultural preservation made a significant contribution to the overall social fabric of Indian society.

But with the advent of the British East India Company, the Indian education system started changing rapidly. The English language came to India in the 17th century with the East India Company, which brought the language with itself for trade and commerce. At the outset of their rule in India, the British made attempts to learn the local languages to facilitate communication with the natives. As their political influence intensified, they established British Indian provinces such as Bengal, Madras, and Bombay. Consequently, the importance of English language grew in the eyes of English traders, who began to prioritize it over Indian languages. However, in 1835, English replaced Persian as the official language of the Company. The credit for introducing English and Western concepts of education in India goes to Lord Macaulay, who advocated for English as the medium of instruction in lieu of Sanskrit and Persian. Macaulay's vision was to make the Indian people "Indian in blood and color but English in taste and opinion." But the wheels for this had been set in motion much earlier when Roy expressed his dissent towards the establishment of the Sanskrit College. The British Empire aimed to colonize the Indian subjects through education, but Roy was of the view that introducing English education with a scientific approach would pave the way for a more progressive and well-informed system of instruction. But one can find in Roy’s minute to Lord Amherst, 1823, “a certain kind of insufficiency thesis being propounded there. Ram Mohan says Indian civilization is lacking in certain respects and badly in need of these inputs from modern knowledge systems from the West” (Paranjape). And this sense of inferiority complex and lack of faith in Indian culture or tradition reinforced the subservience of Indic knowledge. 

The prevalence of the English language in India during the British Raj grew significantly. One of the contributing factors was the gradual inclusion of Indian individuals in civil service positions. This helped in fostering an educated middle-class intelligentsia or “Babus” who strengthened the colonial supremacy of the English as well as occupied positions of power to dictate policies for the common men in the years to come after independence. Albeit after Independence, Hindi was declared the first official language, and attempts were made to declare Hindi the sole national language of India.

the constitution of India [had] specified 26 January 1965 as the date on which English would no longer be used as an official language of the new state. Since then, in spite of attempts to phase out English, practical difficulties in implementing the original constitutional mandate have convinced the successive governments to leave the status quo undisturbed (Kachru et al161-62).

It is also interesting to note that after the end of British Rule in India in 1947, the literacy rate of India stood at 12% and as per records, India had a total of only 17 universities, 636 colleges, 5,297 secondary schools with 8,70,000 pupils, 12,843 middle schools and 7,72,661 primary schools which almost seems insignificant for a population like India’s.

In India, English plays a crucial role not only in facilitating communication with the global community but also in enabling communication within and across different states and regions due to the vast ethnic and linguistic heterogeneity that exists within our nation. English symbolizes in Indians’ minds, better culture, better education, and higher intellect. Timothy J. Scrase explains the growth of English in India in the following words: “Since the days of the British Raj, English remained the language of domination, status, and privilege in India. The hegemonic colonial project in India was to create and maintain a class of administrative officers, clerks, and compliant civil servants to carry out the task of ruling the vast and expansive subcontinent.”

Although English is considered now a global language and its knowledge gives students access to better opportunities, the use of English as a medium of instruction in a culturally and linguistically diverse country such as ours poses numerous difficulties and hurdles, especially for students coming from marginalized sections of the society who don’t have prior adequate knowledge of English.

A survey conducted in JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies reveals that a considerable number of students admitted to Masters this year face similar issues due to the language barrier. According to this survey, 30% of students find occasional difficulties in understanding class lectures because they are delivered in English. Additionally, almost 60% of students have found problems in class presentations due to a language barrier. While 40% of students have felt that their classmates or teachers have not been quite supportive in overcoming the impediments, around 60% of students have indicated their difficulty or hesitation in expressing their thoughts during the class in English. The survey also revealed that many students had to leave the course as they struggled to understand and express themselves in English, which hindered their ability to comprehend lessons and perform well on exams.

The condition of students in one of India’s premier institutions sheds light on the deeply rooted complexities of our education system which is a product of the colonial project. The disadvantage created by English as a medium of instruction affects students’ overall educational experience, especially for those coming from schools in underdeveloped areas that lack the resources and infrastructure necessary to provide quality English education. As a result, students from these backgrounds are unable to receive the same level of education as their more privileged counterparts.

It is at this juncture that the National Education Policy of 2020 plays a significant role. In the NEP 2020, the government has urged universities to create study material in regional languages to enhance students’ understanding and empower them. The policy includes “moving towards a higher educational system consisting of large, multidisciplinary universities and colleges… and with more HEIs across India that offer medium of instruction or programmes in local/Indian languages; steps shall be taken towards developing high-quality higher education institutions both public and private that have medium of instruction in local/Indian languages or bilingually.” Additionally, there will be an increase in the number of “HEIs, and more programmes in higher education will use the mother tongue/local language as a medium of instruction, and/or offer programmes bilingually, in order to increase access.”

Some effective steps have already been taken in this regard by the government in the form of introducing engineering and medical courses in regional languages across various states. Recently, the Bar Council of India has formed a committee to propose strategies for introducing courses in regional languages in law colleges throughout the nation. Additionally, UGC is also in the process of drafting a plan to introduce both undergraduate and postgraduate courses in regional languages related to all disciplines.

Bridging the gap between Hindi and English speakers as well as speakers of other regional languages in higher education institutes requires a multifaceted approach. By promoting pluralistic multilingualism in which no single language dominates over others (Paranjape), establishing English language support programs, providing faculty training, and fostering cultural sensitivity, institutions can create an inclusive environment that ensures equitable access to education for all students. Embracing linguistic diversity not only empowers Hindi-speaking students but also enriches the educational experience by fostering cross-cultural understanding and communication skills, which are vital in today's interconnected world.

References: -

1.     Basu, S. (2021, July 1). THE EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH IN INDIA. International Journal of English Learning & Teaching Skills, 3(4), 2480–2496. https://doi.org/10.15864/ijelts.3405

2.     Egyankosh, egyankosh.ac.in/bitstream/123456789/8526/1/Unit%205.pdf. Accessed 23 May 2023.

3.     3. Kachru, Yamuna and Cecil L. Nelson. World Englishes in Asian Contexts.Hong KongUniversity Press:Hong Kong, 2006. Print

4.     4. Ministry of Education, National Education Policy 2020.

5.     5. Paranjape, Makarand. “Decolonizing English Studies: Attaining Swaraj?” swaraj.org. n.d. Web. 27 December 2011.