Advantages and disadvantages of English language in India

This blog is a part of our ELT-1 class activity,

Þ  The references has been taken from the research paper of E. Annamalai, “Satan and Saraswati : The double face of English in India.

                  As per this research paper we could get an idea about the role of English in Indian society. If we take the time of independence, all Indians were rejecting English language because it was a colonizer’s language, they were not looking at language which is global but they were looking towards language as it is the language of Satan or of British.

                Jawaharlal Nehru and other leaders who have studied in foreign, they were in support of the language but almost seventy percent India had a great hatred towards English, because they were not aware about the value of learning this language. Slowly and steadily supporters of English language has increased and hundreds of schools have been started in 1980s which had English as first language.

                 There was a time when people had a strong hatred towards English language and now people proudly say that their children is having education in English medium. Indians have a prejudice that learning of English language would destroy the use and value of native and national languages, and it was the reason that they were not allowing their family members to take English language in their study.

                   There are still two different mentalities in India, but now people have became more career oriented and learning of English language is most important for bright opportunities.

Þ  If we take English as Satan and Saraswati, 

English as Satan: 

   If the English language would become the first language in every educational organisation, our all Indian languages will lose its value.

   English is very important language to communicate at international level, but it will make all geniuses to leave India for better career option.

   English is a modern language with English culture in it, and if Indians would start following that culture, we would lose our traditions and cultural values.

English as Saraswati:

   The demand of English language is increasing every day, as far as job is concern, the person should be aware of how to communicate in English.

   English is available at every place, from arts to science and from science to computer science, thus we should be aware about the use of English language.

   English language is an international language, half of world speaks English language and almost all the official paper works have English language as a communicative tool, so the teaching and learning this language is very important.

                 

          Though both the aspects negative as well as positive is right on their place, English has dual face in India, it depends upon the mentality of people that how they take language, as Satan or as Sarawati.