POLICIES REGARDING ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION

BRITISH-INDIA

In the beginning the East India Company felt no responsibility for educating the Indians.

A beginning was made by Warren Hestings who set up a “Madarsa” at Calcutta in 1781

A Sanskrit college was started by the British resident Jonathan Duncan, at Banaras in 1792

In 1800, Lord Wellesley established the Fort William College for the training of the Civil Servants of the Company in the languages and Customs of India

The British did not think of introducing English education in India at that time.

PRE-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD

Christian missionaries attempted to revive an out of date system of education and advocated the teaching of Western Literature and Christian religion through the medium of English.

Indians wanted a system of education which could help them to earn their livelihood

The Government agreed to encourage the study of English as well as oriental languages.

In 1813, by the Charter Act, the British Parliament provided for an annual expenditure of rupees one lakh for educating the Indians

But the controversy persisted between orientalists and anglicists.

PRE-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD

English as a Medium of Instruction:

“We must at present do our best to form a class of persons Indian in blood and color and English in taste, opinions in morals and in intellect.”

Considered that English was better than Sanskrit & Arabic

English was the key to modern knowledgePredicted that English was likely to become the

language of commerce throughout the seas of the eastIt would bring about renaissance in India

MACAULAY’S MINUTE’S PROVISIONS

Clearly Indicated that the Western Education had to be promoted in India through the medium of English language alone.

English replaced Persian as the court language

Printing of English books was made free and were made available at very low prices

Macaulay believed in the “theory of filtration” according to which the knowledge of western education would reach the masses gradually through the English educated Indians

LORD MACAULAY’S MINUTE(Govt. of India Act, 1835)

‘Magna Carta’ of English education in India and also ‘the Intellectual Charter of India’.

Option of either English and/or Vernacular were accepted as medium of instruction

Vernacular was encouraged at school and English at University level

Education was made entirely secular in nature and education on ‘Bible’ was to be given on volunteer basis.

WOOD’S DISPATCH ON EDUCATION, 1854

The government, as far as could be possible, should withdraw itself from the school and college education and every effort should be made to encourage private enterprise in these fields by the system of liberal grants in aid.

Resulted not only in the development of a Western education but also in oriental studies

HUNTER COMMISSION, 1882-83

The medium of instruction up to middle level should be the mother tongue but English was not to be neglected.

Many poor students were able to receive education through their own languages.

GOVT. RESOLUTION ON EDUCATION, 1904

The medium of instruction as Secondary Level should be the mother tongue except in case of English or Mathematics.

The medium of instructions at the University level should be English

SADLER UNIV. COMMISSION, 1917-19

Popularly known as ‘Basic education’ occupies a unique place in the field of elementary education in India. This scheme was the first attempt to develop an indigenous scheme of education.

Gandhiji placed his Basic Education System to the nation in the Wardha Conference in 1937.

Removing the teaching of English from earlier years in school and beginning it only from standard VIII onwards

WARDHA SCHEME OF BASIC EDUCATION, 1937

INDEPENDENT INDIA

Higher education should be imparted through the regional language with the option to use the federal language as the medium of instruction either for some subjects or for all subjects.

English Should be studied in the Higher Schools and in the Universities for keeping the students in touch with the living stream of ever-growing knowledge.

UNIV. EDUCATION COMMISSION, 1948

The study of English should be promoted right from the school stage. Efforts to be made to spread Hindi in non-Hindi speaking areas, as it are the official language of the union and the lingua-franca of the people.

KOTHARI COMMISSION, 1964-66

Hindi Speaking Areas-

Mother-Tongue/ Regional Language

English/ HindiMIL other than Hindi

KOTHARI COMMISSION, 1964-66(3-Language Formula)

Non-Hindi Speaking Areas-

Mother-Tongue/ Regional Language

HindiEnglish

Backed TFL recommended by Kothari Commission

Proper coordination between Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, CIEFL, CIIL, CBSE and NCERT for ensuring uniformity in acquisition of language competency in the school system

Improvement in English Language competency through strengthening of Central Institute of English and Foreign. Languages (CIEFL), Regional Institute of English (RIEs), English Language Training Institutes (ELTIs) and District Centres

NPE, 1986 & POA, 1992