Is English a foreign language in India?
The Indian Supreme Court is debating whether English should be classified as a foreign language in the context of the country's three-language education formula. Experts discuss the historical evolution of English in India and its role as a link language versus indigenous roots.
Why it matters
This debate touches on national identity, colonial history, and the practicalities of education policy in a linguistically diverse nation.
The Supreme Court has been discussing linguistics this month while hearing challenges to the CBSE’s three-language formula, which mandates that two of the three languages must be native Indian languages, a category that does not include English. The top court had wondered whether it was correct to treat English as a “non-indigenous” language, given its long history in the country, and its role as a link language in governance and higher education. So should English be considered a foreign language in India? Apoorvanand and Ganesh Devy discuss the question in a conversation moderated by Priscilla Jebaraj .
The article provides a balanced dialogue between two experts with differing linguistic and historical perspectives.
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