English Language Teaching in India

Today, English has become a global language. It widely spread in the field like education, commerce and communication, etc. English language has also it is an origin and spread in India. There are several factors, which are responsible for it.

The Original History of ELT in India:-
The history of ELT is divided in parts as we divided human life in to three Sages like-childhood, youth and old age.
1. Ancient Age (Before 8th Century)
2. Medieval Age (Before 8th to 18th Century)
3. Modern Age (After 18th Century)
During ancient times the language was not developed. But in medieval Age, many language were already existing like Urdu, Persian, Sanskrit, etc. these language came in India through culture and conquest Different people ruled over India like Turks, Portuguese moghals, etc, English entered in India through missionaries. They come in India with an aim to spread Christianity. They said that god has sent them to remove people from darkness. After that, Vasco-De-Gama to India in 1498. Their main aim was for trade. But slowly they started spreading removing Portuguese over the whole country. They first learnt Indian languages. They even married Indians English established East India Company in 1628. But Lord Macaulay is contribution is great. He aggressively put more emphasis on English. He also got the support of Indians like Raja Ram Mohan Roy believed that English education would remove the darkness of the of the society. After Lord Macaulay, Lord Bentick had also put emphasis on English. He give a bait to the Indians, that no job. People started learning English. These policies divided the society in to two group: - Anglicists, who favored English, and orientates, who favored native language. In the beginning of 18th century freedom movement became popular mahatma Gandhi put more emphasis on native language. In order to give more priority to native language, he inspired to establish different ‘Vidyapiths’ independence, English has been dominating. So Nehru’s government declared Hindi as an official language and English as a second language.

The role of English in India:-
Historically looking at the development of English in India, it dates back to the charter of India-1815 passed in the parliament of England, which decide the education policy of India. Lord macaulay’s ‘Minits’ of 1835 was the actual implementation of English language policy of the British government in India. After that the three universities, at Calcutta, Bombay and Madras were started with English as a medium of instruction. That was the change in the Indian Education system as well as this was the modern Indian education system pre-independent British India saw well developed English language as well as English education system, which was responsible to a large extend for the independence of India that is why shri Aurobindo was write, when he observe, “the Indian revolution started in an English class in India”. The post independent India in 1950 decide it’s law for Indian language and English, the language of Britisher was accepted as an ‘Associated language’, For next 15 years so that the other Indian language, Especially Hindi, to became the national language. The first Prime Minister Nehru called, “ English is the window to the world”. The south Indian region could not accept the domination of Hindi at the cost of English and their own language. Unfortunately, Hindi has a national language; on the other hand English was developing very effectively. Another Unfortunately event was the death of Nehru in 1964 compels people to start agitation before 15 year of ‘Tenure’ of English language. Madras saw a big strike which spread almost to all the non-Hindi states. This compelled the government of India to accept English as a national language. As a national language, English is constitutionally equal with 18 other to accept fact that English enjoy a better position and more significant compare to other Indian language.
The role of English is playing in India is that of a “living” language, when one says, “English is foreign language in India” in present situation it is absolutely wrong because it is a living language to it’s true sense. Apart form the political, economical and educational reasons English is playing a very effective role of a living language because as all the living languages English is –1> A form of social behavior2> As a medium of expression for the emotions and feeling 3> source of aesthetic gratification.

Seeds of English in India:-
The person, Robert clive he was the chairman of East India company. At the hence of Robert clive the French Empire was destroyed India was citifying and divided in to small-small parts. In 1757 it was the destruction of mughal empire. The battle of plasi seeds the East India company. East India company started interfering the social, cultural and religious life of India culture. In 1792 the first blue print on English education in India was published. It was made by Charles grand.
Charles Grant:-
He was the man of religious faith and he want to spread Christianity in India. But Indian did not know English so he tried them to learnt English. In 1809, he was elected as the chairman of East India Company. He made certain treatise in his observation. It was the observation on the state of society among the Asiatic subject of Great Britain. This characterizes the position against the changing Indian society. He wanted to bring moral, social and mental changes. He said that the Hindus made errors because they are ignorant and their errors have never been laid before them. The communication light and knowledge to them would prove the best remedy for their children. He was considered the as the father of modern education in India. According to his observation, the introduction of English as a medium of instruction in a western system of education, he recommended that English should the medium of education, International literature, natural sciences and mechanical inventions. The adoption of English as the official language of the company and the govt. for easy communication between rulers and ruled.

Macaulay’s Minutes (1835) :-
Macaulay presented his lengthy minutes to Lord Bentinck in 1835. In the minute he advocated education of upper classes in India and made a vigorous plea for spreading Western learning through the medium of English. Lord Macaulay thought that it was possible through English education to bring about a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour, but English in taste, in opinion, in moral and intellect. This minutes was accepted by Bentinck and it opened a new chapter in the educational history of India.

Negative Effects:-
English became medium of instruction Indian language were neglected and this resulted in mass illiteracy.
A class of persons, Indian in blood and color but English in taste, was born and they became instrument of mass exploitation.
English was used as the official language and all the states and interstates matters were carried out in English. It became the language of commerce; through out the seas of seas because of this a common person has a very little role to play in state affairs as well as in commerce.
Many people obtain posts in Govt. Services but people began to think English was foreign plant, transplanted in India soil and is doing even harm to the growth of India.

Wood’s Dispatch (1854) :-
Wood’s Dispatch came to be know after the name of sir, Charles wood, who was the president of the Board of Control with the renewal of the charter of the East India Company in 1853, the need for defining the educational policy had become apparent. the Dispatch imposed up on the government the task of creating a properly articulated scheme of education form primary school to the university for the first time a comprehensive scheme which touched education on various vital points was presented. It has been sometimes called ‘The magna carta of English Education in India. After the Dispatch, steps were taken for recognizing the prevalent educational system on mew line. It was the 1st policy statements of the British govt on education English language would be taught where these was a demand of it and that it would be combining with careful attention to the study of vernacular language of the districts. English language was not to replace the native languages. The subject of Christian religion would be provided out of school hours and only if ask by people. He emphasized on female education and training of teacher. Introduction of Grant-in-aid through the Dept of education. Therefore, those local bodies should be encouraged to take control of education. He encouraged the establishment of universities.
To conclude, wood was in favour of developing knowledge through out all class of people in India.
Aims/motives of teaching English in India:-
(1) To rule or to colonizes:-
English was introducing in India as a language of the British Trade and Specially the language of East India Company his tropically; the company gradually converts in to the British rule in India, it is natural that the ruler becomes the language of the ruled. The British used English not only to rule but they expanded their British rule by anglicizing the local regions. It looked at the British History of India, it would right to agree with Dr, M.A.K.Halliday, that English was instrument of rule and a tool of territorialism. English teaching was introduced in india as to Support and help the British rules as well as in its march of colonization.
(2) Education:-
English Education effectively introduction by lord Macaulay in 1835, followed by the establishment of these universities at madras Calcutta, and Bombay. From this, English was not only a medium of instruction but it became a way of education and learning, which can be very well understand it one looks at universities and million of students taking English as a mode of education. India education system have two distinct sections, the English medium of education and the large section is non English medium of education, but in the later section English is taught as a compulsory or obligatory subject. The aim of using English for education is to have of pace with the international interaction as well as to enable the local to became global. One of the recallable observations by the CIEFL scholar is, “The Indian English is the language of the education people in India”.
(3) Administration:-
As noticed above, lord Macaulay introduced English, but his intention was to teach English to the Indians, so that he can employ them in the service of British Government in Indian, thus reducing the import of British servant form Britain for the administration, English was used in both the conditions, the Pre-independence as well as post-independence. After, 1947,English was accepted as constitutional as a language for administration and in the central government offices, it is used conveniently and effectively. In 1965, English was accepted not only as a national language but it was accepted as the language of Indian Administration services.
(4) Unification of states country, and Nation:-
It is ironical that English unifies the Britisher to “Divide and Rule” but the divided linguistic regions of Pre- independent India unified by the various linguistic communities in to a country but it is still unifying then and we have modern powerful nation. Known as India. English language, as medium of education and administration, unified the North with the south and the East with the West. As a binding agent, this language is a link, a thread on which the various beads of a variety of language are stringed together. The acceptance of English as a dously to bring together almost all the regions close to each other which from the unification of the various linguistic and regional back grounds, a unity of Indian continent the continent as converted in to a country by English language and English language has converted the country in to a string nation which is capable to stand and compete with any other nation of the world, one of the strength is English language.
(5) Globalization or Internationalism:-
The present situation demands English to be at the center of every thing, due to the developments of Computer Science, Tele-Communication, Rapid Transportation and the Liberal Economics. “Atlas is Shrinking” or as it is observed by Ian Rynd, “Atlas Shrunk”. The world is becoming a global village. The language of this village is English, to service in world, to exit in this world and to excel into this word, English is mandatory. The global world demands mastery of English to succeed in it that is why English is used, taught and learnt in Indian educational institute. English provide comparative benefits in international trade and business; it helps to assimilate with the international community, Social political and Intellectual levels. The process of globalization demands all most all the counties, to have good command on English language. That is why various steps taken by on English speaking. There is no doubts the one’s a local language, English has become global language.
To conclude, the aim of teaching English in India, started with a narrow political interest of Britishers, which now crossed all most the boundaries of the physical geography of the Indian people. Education in English and education of English have help and helping the over all-social, economical and intellectual development. It is the body as well as the soul of both the globalize as well as the globalizing world.
Role of English during Independence :-

Pre-Independence era
Gandhiji’s Opinion :-
Before :- “I would have our young men and women with literary task to learn as much English ad other world languages as they like… But I would not have a single Indian to forget, neglect and be ashamed of his mother tongue”.
After :- A Government Resolution : 1904
The medium of instruction in the middle classes should be the mother tongue. The children might pick up a working voo of English to be able to follow their lesson in higher classes. English should not taught before the age group of 13. The study of mother tongue at the secondary stage along with the study of English.
Swadeshi movement :-
Revolt against foreign rule and their language. A new awareness in the field of education. Growth of the vernaculars as the medium of education (a demand for swdeshi deu)
Gandhiji :- “I there fore regard it as a sin against the mother land to inflict upon her children a tongue other than their mother’s for their development.”

Post-Independence era:-
After Independent people thought that with the going out of English people, English language, Idea, manner and custom will also go away, Gandhiji thought English has put severe strain up on the Indian student and has made them, “Imitators”. But people like Rabindranath Tagore Through advocated education through mother tongue, did not deny to give importance of English. Jawaharlal Nehru said. “some people imagine that English is likely to become lingua franca of India. That seems to be a fantastic conception of post independence era lower students in Education were noticed it was felt that the imposition of study of English produced undesirable effect on the free development of mind the study of English made learning largely, a matter of wrote memory for the majority of the pupils the medium often became the end of education.

The Status of English now in India:-
We find English in herds of millions and millions of India. English is not taught, our constitution language it enjoy s decide in the parliament that use of English should be minimize and use of Hindi. In day today administration should be promoted. There was a provision made in our constitution that we could use English until we have one national language. It is surpeising that still we are unable to away from English is one of the language taught almost at all levels of students and college Education. English is a medium of instruction in some of the school and in most of the school it is taught as a second or a foreign language. English is the language that is found in all corner of India from north to south and from west to east. Everybody wants to learn English still people do talk about banishing English but still it east in the school and college syllabi. We have two typers of school. First, English medium school, here curriculum transactional has been carried out in English and English is taught as a first language. The second type of school is vernacular medium school, such school run by state administration. The primary goal is to cater to the needs of ruler India English here is taught as second language.

Three language formula:-
Three-language formula advised by central advisory board. It was approved by chief minister’s conference in 1967, Instead of having two languages; the children should learn three languages during his schooling. In this three language, Hindi and English is compulsory. Regional language us mother tongue. Three is a possibility of regional variation in the intimation of de formula state education minister committee also spread this view and appreciated the variation. The committee also imploded for the large uniformity to be secured in matter like content of the language in curriculum and standard of proficiency.

Conclusion:-
To conclude this large topic, we can say that English is important for development of India it also help India in the struggle of Independence After independence English became the constitutional language and people start to learn it more and more now English is taught as a second language almost in all the school and colleges. In the beginning, there was a people who opposed to teach English language but at the same time, there was a people who above learn keeping in mind our mother tongue this thing helps out motion to progress very fast.



Bibliography

(1) Aggarwal, J.C. Landmarks in the history of modern Indian Education.Pub:- Vani Educational Books. (1984)
(2) Gandhi, M.K., Hind Swaraj Pub:- Navjivan Prakashan Mandir
(3) www. wikipedia.Com
(4) www. Google.Com




(2) Indianness in Indian English Poetry

The question of Indianness seems suspiciously like a red herring, but one has to go after it nevertheless, “Indianness” may remain, in the ultimate sense, an elusive, obfuscatory glow, or an ‘essentially contested concept’, but some clarification may be attempted.
The question of Indianness is not merely a question of the material of poetry, or even of sensibility, it is tied up with the factor called the audience. Indian English poets write the Indian audience, but they also write, quite inevitably, for the non-Indian western audience. Thus, consciously or unconsciously they cannot help by using their Indianness at the some of the time, in some way, to a greater or lesser extent. That is why, the native simplistic way, in which, pre-independent poets tried to be ‘Indian’, was not immediately or totally abandoned after Indian English poet became modern or sophisticated. Even the best Indian English poets continue to exploit Indianness, but in an extremely subtle, sophisticated manner. Thus Ezekiel may write a poem about the Indian superstitions regarding a crow at the window (‘The Visitor’ in The Exact Name) or Ramanujan a poem about Snake; Parthasarathy may deftly weave images like the following in the studied flow of his poem:
…..streets unwind like cobras
From a basket. A cow stands
In the middle combining the traffic.
(Rough Passage, I, 5)
In all such cases, the poet may be able to justify his Indian material poetically, but the feeling remains in the reader’s mind that, that superstition about crows or that detail about the cow, was selected, at least partially, for its exotic appeal to the non-Indian reader. The Indian English poet can not but help falling into this trap off and on poets in the Indian languages are free from this bedevilment, for they do not have to flaunt their Indianness before their very Indian readers. The best that the Indian English poet can hope to do is to try to be as natural and honest as possible, and to concentrate upon the poetical enrichment of material that may have come to him for extra poetic reasons, and not to be content with a decorative use of Indian imagery, with which, alas, even the best known poets often seems to remain content.
More important than the level of material, the imagery, the detail, is the level of sensibility. Here, of course, we are in a more nebulous area one often goes by one’s ‘feeling’ that is ‘very Indian’. Defining the Indian

sensibility leads one no farther than to some clichéd generalization. There is no doubt some truth in the belief that an Indian English poet by expressing an Indian sensibility, will speak more authentically and achieve greater depth and possibly greatness, than by assuming a cosmopolitan stance. Jayanta Mahapatra appears to be the best example of an effortless expression of a deeply Indian sensibility. But then again, one comes across Western critics and reviewers whose first instinct is to find some ‘Indian’ quality in the author they are examining. Such rage for branding and pigeon-holing often makes one feel like chucking up the matter of Indianness altogether.
There are all the more reasons to do so, since the Indianness by itself, strictly speaking, can not become a criterion or guaranty of aesthetic value. A further and more serious objection is that insistence upon Indianness may result in subtle cultural, chauvinistic pressure, stiffing the poet’s individuality and idiosyncrasy. Let the poet be himself; by being himself the poet, infact, countributes to the definition of Indianess, for Indianess can only be defined, after all, in terms of what Indian are.

Information collected by Apoorva Trivedi.