The Origin of English Language and English Curriculum in India

The English language has grown in prominence in India throughout the last four
centuries, expanding even quicker in the last couple of centuries due to the language's
importance in international communication. The English language is regarded as a vital tool
in a variety of fields, including worldwide communication and education. The English
language was first introduced by businessmen who had come to the country for the purpose
of trade. The British left India in 1947, yet the language was left behind which has been
adapted and modified into the Indian context, which is different from Queen’s English.

Since colonial times, English has been regarded as a powerful language in India,
connected with social, economic, and political growth. Britain typically maintained an
indirect rule policy, preferring to impose systems of authority exerted by local hierarchy, who
were required to learn English for communication. English was the language of government
and tertiary education, and a person needed to learn English only if he or she wished to
develop socially, economically, or politically. The spread of English during colonial periods
is frequently credited to Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay’s Minutes of 1835,

"...We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters
between us and the millions whom we govern...a class of persons, Indian in
blood and colour, but English in tastes, in opinions, in morals, and in
intellect."

Minute on Education, written by British politician Thomas Babington Macaulay, outlined

why the East India Company and the British government should invest money on English
language education and the development of European learning. In his speech Macaulay
recognized Sanskrit and Arabic literatures historical value in the region, it also claimed that
they had limitations. He wrote,

“A single shelf of a good European library was worth the whole native
literature of India and Arabia,”

Macaulay recommended that the East India Company stop printing Arabic and
Sanskrit literature immediately, and that the Company should not continue to support
conventional education.
 As a result of Macaulay’s zealous devotion towards English language and
literature, Lord William Bentinck, the governor general of India at the time, passed a
declaration directing that all funds be spent entirely on English education. In 1854,
Charles Wood urged the government to encourage the use of native languages as
medium of instruction for the poor and middle class. However, his recommendations
were not followed for the next seven decades. By 1857, Bombay, Calcutta, and
Madras had each established its own university. English grew at such a rapid rate
that it became the primary language of the government, the wealthy class, and the
media. As a result of the rising British population in the nation and the growing
influence of English, the only option for native Indians to get access to higher
education was to study English.

The English language was essential in the formation of a pan-Indian

independence movement. Macaulay did not realize that an ‘Anglicist’ education
would also imply that Indians would become familiar with Western concepts and
values such as democracy, enlightenment, and self-determination, which would
ultimately drive the movement for independence. Even after the independence,
English language played an important role in the development of the Constitution of
the Republic of India. The Indian government decided that English needed to be
present in important sectors like education and health care, therefore the Official
Languages Act, established in 1963 and modified in 1967, established that English
would continue to be used alongside Hindi for official reasons.

India is a country where people speak different languages in different areas

of the country. Regional languages differ significantly from one another. Without a
common language, such as English, it is difficult for leaders, administrators and the
general public to exchange information among each other. English has a wide range
of applications in everyday life. It is utilised as a medium of communication at
banks, railway stations, bus terminals, airports, educational institutions, medical
facilities, and the private sector, etc. English is a connecting language that is used in
national and international trade and commerce. Students who travel abroad for
school or work would feel more comfortable if they have good communication
abilities. The English language has written major technical and scientific
achievements, which has led to rapid evolution of the world. Hence, we are
dependent on English.
 Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay introduced the modern educational
system, including the English language, to India in the 1830s. The new curriculum
gave more importance to “modern” subjects such as mathematics and science. In the
current scenario, the place of English in Indian school curricula is a critical topic. In
the twenty-first century, English in India is no longer a colonial responsibility, but
rather a source of confidence and development. In India, English is taught as a
second language at all levels of education, and it is widely regarded as the primary
medium of instruction in higher education. Even the curriculum and assessment
methods used vary considerably throughout the country. The English model given to
students is inconsistent, and this is a topic that policymakers and educators are now
dealing with. While most states consider English to be a second language, some
classify it as a third language, with the regional and national languages taking
priority.

The English language and the Indian language first came into touch in the
early 16th century, when the British chose to establish commercial posts in India and
spread English to a new region. Because of the tremendous effect of British
colonisation, several Christian schools were created in India by English missionaries.
As a result, India's education policy was formulated on February 2, 1835, and several
English teaching universities were founded around the nation. As a result, in the
early twentieth century, English was legally recognised as India's academic and
official language. In India nowadays, English is utilised in all sectors of education,
government, mass media, law, science, and technology.

Nowadays, English is regarded as a global or worldwide language. We must

consider more than just the language standpoint in order to grasp the significance of
this. We can establish that English is a unique language in today's world,
functionally and structurally distinct from other languages. In Asia, English has
spread among non-native speakers, particularly in nations such as Japan and India.
Its popularity has grown to the point that it is now compulsory for students to study
English because of its relevance in the workplace. Given the circumstances, students
are studying English not just for employment objectives, but also for general
communication. Indians speaking English in Indian ways, with their variances and
phonetic alterations, may be the perfect situation for proving the fact that English is
a multicultural language.