The role of English in india

                 The Role of English in india

                     Among the non-native varieties, most of which grew and spread as a consequence of British colonial expansion, Indian English is most widely used. There are large numbers of people in India who learn and use English for a wide variety of purposes. Its importance is on the increase in every walk of life, in our native language i.e. Hindi speaking states. No India is acceptable to all the states. English, through a foreign language is the only language, which understood, Learnt, taught and used by people in all parts of India.

   On other hand, English in India is learnt and used as second language. We call it a second language and not a foreign language because it has become a part of our national and socio-cultural reality. English is as much a part of Indian Linguistic scene as any other Indian language. In other words, English is medium of instruction and if we consider our educational set up our

  administration, our trade and commerce, our judicial set up and even our personal communicative need for English can be discerned in every sphere. There is constant social pressure to learn and use English at different stages. We learn not only English but we also learn many subjects through English.

  Student also need English both for pursuing their studies and communicate in real life situation after they leave university. English needed to perform a large number of communicative acts i.e. comprehend and interpret professional material in English, read general books and magazines for information or pleasure, persuade people to do certain other activities. Our approach to language teaching should then be such that students are enabled to use English for the purposes they would need to use it.

   English has respectable place in the society. A person is not a considered educated if he does have the fair knowledge of English. It has an established sociolinguistic fact that no one learns a second language unless there is need for it. English is perhaps best when it is the medium of instruction. 

  This explains why more and more people want English medium schooling for their children. English medium schools have become synonymous with good teaching, better discipline, accountability, etc. 

  So the mushrooming of English medium schools is as much an indicator of the common man’s desire for good teaching of English as ; of quality education generally, there is a social demand for English. Keeping in view this demand for English, the language holds a prime pontoon in the present day Indian socio-cultural setting and we can neglect its study only at the risk of loss to ourselves.

   Pandit Nehru once said that English acted as the major window for the India’s to the outside world and its closure would spell peril for our future. The advancement in science, technology space satellite communication satellite, computer science, medical science engineering and their researcher s are brought to light through English.

  Now English has become associated with better education, better job opportunities, high social status, better inter regional mobility and communication. It has a vial role to play in forging national integration. We can say English is passport to good employment. English person knowing person is in good demand. In an age of globalization, liberalization and privatization the role of English in our country is ever on the increase.