Is English a foreign language in India?, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The Supreme Court is currently debating whether English should be classified as a "non-indigenous" language in India, considering its long history and role as a link language.
• This discussion arises from challenges to the CBSE's three-language formula, which mandates two native Indian languages, thereby excluding English from that category.
• Experts Apoorvanand and Ganesh Devy contend that English, despite its foreign origin, has been "Indianised" and is crucial for social mobility and aspiration.
• Ganesh Devy highlights that both English and Hindi belong to the Indo-European language family, having arrived in India at different historical periods.

Detailed Insights:

• English's presence in India predates Macaulay's Minute of 1835, with the East India Company beginning its use almost 230 years prior.
• The language transitioned from being a tool for traders and administration to a medium of education, influencing the formation of an elite class and nationalist ideas.
• English significantly contributes to social and geographical mobility, offering advantages that other Indian languages may not provide.
• The 2011 Census of India indicated that 10% of the population speaks English, though experts suggest this figure might be an underestimation due to data collection methodologies.
• Critics argue that Hindi, similar to English, has contributed to the marginalization of smaller languages by categorizing them as its subsets in the Census, reflecting a state-driven desire for linguistic unity.
• The continued prominence of English is also influenced by the commercial interests of English language publishers and educational institutions.
• Despite the widespread adoption of English and Hindi, Indian culture and regional languages have demonstrated resilience, integrating external influences rather than being entirely replaced.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Supreme Court: The apex judicial body in India, established under the Constitution, serving as the final court of appeal and guardian of fundamental rights.
• CBSE's three-language formula: A policy by the Central Board of Secondary Education recommending students learn three languages, with at least two being native Indian languages, to promote multilingualism.
• Macaulay's Minute: A document presented by Thomas Babington Macaulay in 1835, advocating for English as the medium of instruction in Indian education to create a class loyal to British interests.
• Indo-European language family: A large family of languages native to Eurasia, encompassing most European, Iranian, and Indo-Aryan languages like Hindi and English.
• Census of India: The official decennial population enumeration conducted by the Government of India, collecting comprehensive demographic, social, and economic data.