Relevance of English language in India

 India is a continent trying to behave like a country. It could have been a reality if our history took a different turn. Imagine Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and all other states of today being different countries...DIFFERENT COUNTRIES!

Imagine for a moment that this is a reality. How would it be? Very similar or different in comparison between two people from two nations say Vietnam and Sri Lanka talking to each other. Which language would they use?

It could have been a possibility had we not been brought under the colonization umbrella of British colonialism.

Let us now come to the present. We have Twenty-eight states +union territories. We have 23 official languages and many more dialects. A total of more than fifty-five different mother tongues and languages can be a real challenge for the country to have a common link language.

 What should be the National Language of India? Should it be Hindi? What would be the justification for Hindi?... A language that is spoken only by about 25% of our population? Add another 17% of the population who speak dialects. Still totals to 42%.

 What should be our link language? Should it be Hindi? Then why should it be? or should it be any other language? Or should it be English, a language of our colonial legacy?

 A multilingual and multicultural society like India would find it difficult to have any one of its native languages as the National language. This would inevitably invite a backlash.

 Standard Hindi as we see on television and read in newspapers is restricted to certain geographical zones albeit large. How can we have a national language in India when the most widely spoken language Hindi is spoken only by 25% of its population? If we add the dialects and we get another 17%.

 Is it fair to use the relative majority theory here? If the majority theory is to be the basis, then our national bird should be the common crow and not the peacock.

 Sometimes it is difficult to do so. Imagine a situation where a native of Kerala or Tamil Nadu should accept Hindi as his or her national language...or a Naga or a Mizo to accept Hindi as his or her national Language. We may create a fertile ground for linguistic chauvinism across the country.

 A true national language is one that is spoken by at least 80% of its population. Since we do not have one single language fitting this criterion we cannot have a national language.

  The popular perception at that time was since Hindi is the most widely spoken language and the common link language of our freedom movement it should become the main language of India post-independence. Our founding fathers were seized with this imbroglio. How would they find an equitable solution to this issue? Unfortunately, there were no readymade answers.

 The Constitution of India had a clear provision. According to Article 343 (2), the constitution of India provides for the use of English for all official purposes for a period of 15 years. The Union Government took upon itself the promotion and the development of Hindi as the medium of expression during the period of 15 years. But it created serious language controversy throughout the country.

 Consequently, the parliament led to pass the Official Language Bill in May 1963 allowing English to continue for an indefinite period. The constitution also provides that English will be the language of the High Courts, the Supreme Court, acts of Parliament etc.

 The Constitution of India has been written in English, so are many laws, texts, journals, records, other educational and scientific materials. The language of medicine, trade, and commerce; law; higher education; civil aviation; transport and many other core national activities are English. The reasons are not far to see.

 English gives us the single language link between different states of India and between different countries of the world. Our diplomatic initiatives and communication with the rest of the world is in English.

 For students, it gives them the power to understand knowledge and its applications. It helps them communicate with their peers and academic professionals. It gives them the tool to understand the events of the world.

The pursuance of English as a link and empowering language does not in any way undermine or vitiate our need to learn our mother tongues and achieve full competence there.

 So, English continues in India, providing the link between multiple linguistic groups and helps connect all Indians to the rest of the world. India’s interests are best served with English as a common link language and as a truly international language.