When so much is said and done about the place of English in India today, a note on the future of this language becomes desirable. English will continue to throb in the social life of this country as the most important foreign language. Academically, the gradual shift from the middle stage to the higher secondary shall mean an over-all competence in the use of limited English to general comprehension.

In other words, this language will emerge as an effective source of knowledge in the library. Gradually, when regional languages assume full stature, English will be studied as an optional subject in schools and colleges. In addition to this, we may stop objecting to passing in English being made inessential. More than ever before, greater need to offer specialised courses in teaching i this language shall be felt now. Language teaching institutes will become effective instruments in the case.

It is often objected that, if we adopt Hindi as the lingua franca, we shall lose contact with the West. Who says that English should be driven out altogether? All that is demanded is that English should have its rightful place and no more than that. As a link with the West, English is bound to retain an important place.

We cannot afford to be isolated even if it were possible. No country can live an isolated life these days. We shall have to depend on English for western thought and culture. But that does not mean that every student should learn English or that it should be compulsory to pass in it.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

An expert has raised another point, “So long as it is necessary not only to understand and speak, but also to read and write correct English to get a job, nothing can be done in schools and colleges.

English will remain supreme. And the pity of it is that the job is just selling postage stamps or drafting an ordinary letter, which can be better done in our own language.” Hence the trouble that we resist every step that is taken to give English only its rightful place. Its rightful place is that it should be made an optional subject, meant only for the above average.