R. C. Akhilesh*
* Ph.D Research Scholar, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
Abstract
With the advent of the British rule in India, the educational system of India drastically changed. There was no national language in the country. The English method of instruction introduced by the Christian Missionaries in the early years of the Nineteenth Century. The English language was first introduced in the Universities and was gradually brought down to Colleges and Schools. It also associated with power, administration and technology. English will bring a common lingua-franca to the various regions of the country and lead to the unity in the Indian nation. English has become the language of the world. It is extensively used for communication.
It was Lord Macaulay who first thought of introducing English in the educational system of India.1 Indians could be trained in the art of administration on British lines and recruited as workers, clerks and assistants under the British rulers to help them in ruling the country.2 There was no national language in the country. There were regional languages which had varying popularity and sway over regions in the country when the Britishers arrived on the Indian scene.3 In Northern India Urdu and Hindi had come to a place of eminence whereas Bengali had a sway in the Eastern part and Tamil, Kannada and Marathi in the South.4
The English language was first introduced in the Universities and was gradually brought down to Colleges and Schools.5 Among the Indian reformers, Sir Ganga Ram, Sir Syed Mahmood and a few other national leaders in the 19th Century welcomed the adoption of English as an all–India language in the educational system of India. It was anticipated that English will bring a common lingua–franca to the various regions of the country and lead to the unity in the Indian nation.
In due course of time when educational institutions were set up and various Universities came into being the English language spread itself rapidly.6The administrative requirements of the country and the desire of the Britishers to import only the officers cadre from the U.K.7 while filling the lower vacancies from the Indian educated class. Gradually, made English the lingua–franca of the country feeding the intellectuals and intelligentia of the country with this common media. In the later 19th Century it became a fashion among the educated classes to become fully conversant with the English language and attain proficiency. The well–to–do citizens would send their children to U.K. for higher studies. In this manner all the thinking of the intellectuals began to be done through English.
Even the political movements of the country began to express themselves through the English language. The Indian National Congress which became the national platform for the struggle for independence attracted the intellectuals of the country, young and old.8 All the political expressions of this forum were contracted in English. The respect of the Indian intellectuals for the English language became so high that English began to be regarded as an international language.9 The spread of the British Empire, the setting up of their Colonies in various countries and the emergence of the United States as an English speaking country all led to the recognition of English as an important world language.10 English made a media of expressions in foreign capitals, in the whole of Europe and the new world comprising of Australia and America. The Britishers made English not only the language of the Universities and the colleges, but also for selection to the Indian Civil Service and other careers of officers’ cadres. English also became the language of all international trade and commerce. All ventures of industry and commerce started corresponding in the English language and it was made a rule that all correspondence of the Government of India should be contracted in English.
The generations came up in the early 20th Century were English–oriented. They took pride for their proficiency in the English language, regarded it as a language which could open avenues for better career and competitions, a language with which one could converse in the higher circles of society, a language which taught manners and the ways of modern life, a language which was a gateway to technical and professional education, a language which was in vogue in political circles as a media of expressions and agitation.11
With the spirit of Swadeshi movement and the advancement of struggle for independence led by Mahatma Gandhi, the movement was also launched for the opposition to the English language and Hindustani as the national language of the country.12 Mahatma Gandhi and other leaders pointed out that the people of the country, the poor masses, farmers, and workers, were still speaking their own local languages and had not read English. Therefore English was the language of only a small minority and could not be regarded as the lingua-franca of the country. Its use was confined among the educated classes who were only in a small minority in the country. Mahatma Gandhi, therefore, held that the common people in the country should be made to adopt one of the languages of the country as the national language. It was proposed that Hindi which commanded the largest area of popularity in the country should be promoted as the national language of the people.13Along with the Swadeshi movement which boycotted the foreign goods it was decided to boycott the foreign language on public platforms and in public speeches which began to be made in Hindi or the regional languages. Political movement took a popular turn in favour of the language of the people instead of the foreign language.
With the attainment of independence, the Constitution of India laid down Hindi as the national language. It was decided that within 15 years of the establishment of the republic, the country should switch over to Hindi as the official language of India. In the meantime promote the development of Hindi as the National language by all suitable means including the preparation of terminologies in Hindi as political, scientific, technological and other fields.14
On February 26, 1965 the country entered the 16th year of its Republican Constitution.15 The Government of India declared Hindi as the official language of the country in replacement of English as the second language for the time being until such time when it could be completely eliminated. There was opposition from Southern States of the country as well as from the Eastern States. There were language riots and the adoption of Hindi as the official language had to be put off until such time that Hindi could be voluntarily adopted by all the States as a national language. It was decided to retain English as the official language until such time. Hindi was declared as the official language and adequate steps had not been taken to popularise it in all the regions and to develop it in such a way that it could be an ideal all-India link language.16 Also Southern States who had a better command over the English language in view of their traditional practice and their desire to go into all-India competitions preferred to retain English language inorder to keep the marginal gains in their favour.17 They argued that the adoption of Hindi as the national language, and the official language.
The language of the Union Public Service Commission (U.P.S.C.) for competitive examinations will put the candidates from their areas at a disadvantage in the all-India Services and could diminish their role in national activities. In order to avoid the controversy it was decided to retain English as the language of the U.P.S.C. and the official business at the centre and in all States except Uttar Pradesh. Other States preferred to have their regional languages as the second official language after the English. The importance of English in the Indian set-up and how it has already developed and come to stay as the only all-India language acceptable to the majority of the States and the regions.18
The above facts insist on the continuance of English as a favoured medium of study in our higher institutions. The study of English language has continued to be compulsory from the upper primary stage to the graduation stage. This status-quo is be maintained until such time that Hindi develops itself into a national language and adopts such terminologies and words from other regional languages that it can be easily assimilated and adopted by all the States without pride or prejudice.
Reference
1. John A. Jacob, A History of London Missionary Society in South Travancore, 1806-1959, Trivandrum, 1990, p.18.
2. C. H. Philips, The East India Company,1784-1834, London, 1961, p.246.
3. C. D. Maclean(ed.,), Manual of the Administration of the Madras Presidency, Vol. II, Madras, 1886, p.565.
4. M. L. Bose, A social and Cultural History of Ancient India, New Delhi, 1989, p.125.
5. G. O. No. 850, Education Department, 27th May 1965.
6. Dr. Venkoba Narayanappa, Human Resource of Development of University Teachers, Meerut, 2006, p.27.
7. R. B. L. Soni, Autotelic Learning, New Delhi, 2003, p.71.
8. D. N. Kundra, History of India, Delhi, 1987, p.361.
9. Xavier Alphonse, English Made Simple, Chennai, 2006, p.618.
10. B. K. Nayak, Private Language Argument, India, 2000, p.145.
11. P. D. Shukula, Towards the New Pattern of Education in India, New Delhi, 1976, p.2.
12. M. G. Chitkara, Hindutva, New Delhi, 1997, p.111.
13. Syed Jafar Mahmud, Pillars of Modern India, 1757-1947, New Delhi, 1994, p.136.
14. Dr.Venkoba Narayanappa, Self-Evaluation of Lessons By Student Teachers, Meerut, 2007, p.67.
15. Syed Ali Mujtaba, The Demand for Partition of India, New Delhi, 2002, p.163.
16. Ibid.,
17. I. H. Hacker, A Hundred Years in Travancore, London, 1908, p.67.
18. S. Radhakrishnan, The Foundation of Civilization, Delhi, 1990, p.10.