Abstract
For a Dalit, especially from a rural background, it is not easy to survive in the higher education system in India because it is overwhelmingly dominated by the upper caste, class, and English-speaking people. It is not uncommon for Dalit learners like us to face multiple discrimination, and even exclusion in higher educational institutions. Intersectionality between these three factors abounds in institutions of higher learning. The transition from native language to English has not been an easy task for me, for in my educational journey, I have discovered that English is not just a language but also a commodity. It is becoming increasingly easy for economically well-off people to acquire education in English and dominate the spheres of educational institutions in India. They are usually considered as knowledgeable and intellectual persons. On the other hand, Dalit students also want to take education in English but, most of them are not able to do so because of their caste background and rampant discrimination. This study is based on my own experience and fieldwork at the University of Delhi through a semi-structured questionnaire.
Highlights
Language plays a significant role in speech, understanding, and communication which is crucial in acquiring and producing knowledge
English is a major limitation for majority of the students, especially those with non-English-medium backgrounds and they feel excluded from the spheres of knowledge
I have observed that the university spaces and classrooms are dominated by English-medium students
Summary
Language plays a significant role in speech, understanding, and communication which is crucial in acquiring and producing knowledge. Different aspects of discriminatory practices based on linguistic differences pose certain crucial questions In this context, this paper provides broader insights into the usage of language problems as a medium of instruction inside and outside the classroom, through the researcher’s own experience and of students from University of Delhi through collected data. Ajit Kumar Mohanty (2009) argues that when the mother tongue is healthily maintained along with bi / tri or multilingual at the individual and community levels, social, psychological, and educational benefits accrue to the minority groups This is the importance of multilingualism in India. English gradually becomes the dominant / popular language in multiple spheres, such as educational, social, political, and economic life. English is the dominant medium of instruction in the central universities This poses a huge challenge for those vernacular-language background students who want to gain enrolment in such institutions
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