Abstract
IN the Journal of Education and Psychology (Baroda, 1, No. 2; July 1943), A. I. Patel discusses bilingualism and Indian education. He surveys the results of the use of English as the medium of instruction in the earlier stages of education before the mother tongue has become an adequate mode of expression. He concludes that bilingualism hinders the process of education, renders its victims emotionally unstable, prevents moral development, dries up the sources of creative ability, and makes misfits of the students, adjusted to neither cultural group. The remedy is to realize that at present Indian education is neither Indian nor education. English should not be taught in the primary stage, but postponed to a late period in the secondary stage. It should rank as a second language, leaving the vernacular to be the medium of education. The present system, centred round the teaching of English, has had a fair trial and has failed. The writer admits that there will be difficulties but that for the sake of India they ought to be faced and overcome. He recommends the use of Basic English, when the time comes to learn English. He does not want to exclude English because it is the one language which can provide vital contact with European culture and civilization, but Indian language and literature should be the basis of education.
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Bilingualism in Indian Education. Nature 155, 539 (1945). https://doi.org/10.1038/155539c0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/155539c0