THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY March 6, 1965 English, Hindi and the Regional Languages I P Desai Thanks to the lack of a clear policy on the official language, from time to time English or Hindi has been pushed forward and backward at the cost of the regional languages. Attention and energy have been diverted to the Hindi-English controversy while the State administrations have continued to use English and not the regional lan­ guages. The conflict between Hindi and the regional languages has been fostered and aggravated very cleverly by the proponents of English, aided, of course by the folly of the Hindi-speaking supporters of Hindi who have failed to realise that the growth of the national language will come about only through the growth of the regional languages. The fact, as The Economic Weekly's South Corespondent pointed out in his despatch in the Annual Number, 1965, is that the only way for Hindi to become acceptable is through emphasis on the regional languages with a view to their gradual take over from English.

I ENTIRELY agree with the con- hood and of achieving social status. vocating caution, gradualness, prepara­ clusion of your correspondent in The position of English in the hierarchy tion, etc, so that ultimately the change his Letter from South in the Annual of values has come down to more im­ over to regional language never mater­ Number, February 1965, that "The mediate ends than to distant ends in ialises. They know that English just only way for Hindi is first and fore­ the minds of the mass of population does not work in the colleges and uni­ most an emphasis on the regional lan­ which is taking to education in num­ versities but they cling to it. They guages, carefully worked out plan for bers much larger than at any time in know very well that the large mass of their rapid take over from English." the past. And what is more important, students do not have the environments, it will continue to grow larger. This either at home or in the educational I also agree with the reasoning by means that the social base of the col­ institutions, congenial to English as a which he arrives at this conclusion and lege and university educated is becom­ medium of instruction. They run away I endorse the social realism behind it. ing broader and will continue to do so. from this reality and try to save Your correspondent observes correctly, Education is growing among the lower English by advocating the restriction of "India has still largely a pseudo-self income groups of the higher castes and admissions and by proposing increase and "what has not happened is the higher income groups of the so-called in papers, hours and years of teaching creation of Indian nation". He comes lower castes in urban and rural areas to the point which touches the sociolo­ English. But the command of the respectively. Their traditions and the gist when he says that "this must rank students over English does not increase. contemporary experience of life arc as one of the biggest failures of middle Yet English is continued as the medium class in history." The important ques­ different from the traditions of the of instruction. The same students go tion, therefore, is what is the character 19th century educated class. Conse­ out as assistants in offices and teachers of the middle class? What are the so­ quently, the large mass of recently in schools and colleges. Hence again cial groups from which this class comes educated and uneducated class has the complaint of their poor standard of and what are the values and attitudes different values and its attitude to­ English. They just fail to realise that that it possesses at this particular point wards English, as we have said, is of a the regional language is the most effec­ of time in the history of the nation? more functional nature and there is a tive means of communication, for the hiatus between the values of the policy spread of science and scientific altitude. Changed Role of English makers and of those influential in policy Not to introduce, therefore, the regional The identification by your corres­ making and the values and attitudes of language as the medium of instruction pondent is simple and workable. He the large number of newly educated is to hamper the spread of science and refers to the class of persons educated people. scientific attitude. The advocates of under the system of education introduc­ The Stumbling Block English in this sense are becoming the ed by the British, particularly the class These policy makers and influential stumbling block in all that is new and which has taken education upto gradu­ persons do not see or probably do not desirable. In effect, they are playing ation and above. "In the early phase like to see the changed role of English. the role of conservatives and reaction­ this intelligentsia drawn from the land­ They cannot get rid of the heritage of aries however progressive they may like lord class or from one or another com­ the 19th century intelligentsia which to appear. prador occupations came to English as was clear and honest about the Indian Role of Intelligentsia a means of westernisation which they society of the future—the westernised Is the intelligentsia not intelligent felt was the only way forward to the India. Westernisation was the openly enough to realise this? The intelli­ modern regeneration of their country." accepted creed with them. Their con­ gentsia is, though the class of influenti­ A point needs to be added here. These temporary inheritors are not in a posi­ al persons may not be. Here it is ne­ were also the people settled in the ur­ tion to stand by them in their creed, cessary to point out a new develop­ ban areas, the big towns of those days probably because they do not have the ment in the composition of the intelli­ and they came from one or two higher conviction and perspective of the 19th gentsia. With the growth of university castes in each linguistic region. century Indian westerniser. That is education an academic intelligentsia is To these 19th century proponents of why the defenders of English always growing as specialists in their subjects. English, the English language was the begin by agreeing that the regional It is not of any significant size but it language of culture. The role of Eng­ language is the proper media of instruc­ is a qualitative difference which will lish today has changed and it has be­ tion and administration in the states. grow. These are the persons with abil­ come the means of earning the liveli­ But in the same breadth they start ad­ ity to see things but they are cut off 441 March 6, 1965 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY from the social currents because they fact all over the world. Thus their ween the various levels of leadership are interested in solving their own aca- social base, their values and attitudes and their supporters through whom ademic problems. Their intellectual play an important role in policy mak­ they gain positions of power. This gulf honesty is not questioned here but their ing and its execution. It is not that is generally narrowed by the growth of awareness of their social responsibility they consciously ally with the particu­ specialists in political activity, the pro­ is perhaps not based on sufficient ob­ lar stratum from which they come. The fessional politician. He generally re­ servation and thought, just because they stratum strongly conditions a man's presents the interest group in wider so­ dislike being disturbed in their pur­ outlook and he normally acts according ciety. Until, therefore, the interest suits. Yet they have opinions based on to its standards. Hence we find that groups are organised, this hiatus con­ their contact with their "society" of persons from a given upper strata are tinues to be glaring. As interest cons­ policy makers and the influential who against their own regional language or ciousness grows, the distance between use them for their own purposes. Also, at least they are not enthusiastic fur leadership and its following narrows they are cut off from the large mass of their regional language. down. This is probably what is hap­ teachers who handle the large mass of pening at this level in India, students in undergraduate colleges and Difference in Outlook Urban Interests in Rural Areas post-graduate students in places other The government intelligentsia do not than the metropolitan cities. If they find much difficulty in their daily work The rural areas in India are not :he had either first hand experience or con­ because the politicians who are the same today as they were in pre-inde- tact with those in touch with the large principal policy makers are as a rule pendence era. Of course, the changes mass of students, they would very pro- English knowing, at least those who are have not been to the same extent in bably hold different opinions. put in ministerial position. But among all the States, and that makes a diffe­ rence. The main difference is of the So the effective supporters of English politicians the heterogenity in terms of the university degree, knowledge of penetration of the urban occupational are the policy makers and the influential. interests and the outlook co-related to Who are they? Among the policy English, occupation, income and rural or urban origin and outlook and caste it in the rural areas. The small towns, makers are included the secretaries— with population ranging from say, joint, additional, deputy, assistant and is more pronounced than in the case of government intelligentsia. In all the thirty thousand to one lakh are grow­ under — and advisers. We designate ing in number and importance and the them as government intelligentsia. Then political parties at the leadership level in the parliamentary groups the minis­ metropolitan urban interests have their there are the ministers of various sta­ footholds there. Their agents there tuses at the Centre and in the States. ters are either degree holders or Eng­ lish knowing but the members of the set a standard for the style of living They are directly related to the in­ and aspirations. These agents are the fluential in their political party as also legislative parties are not always. Yet the proportions of rural agriculture lawyers, doctors, businessmen, govern­ the members of legislatures at the Cen­ ment officers, branch managers of banks tre and in the States belonging to the based persons, having not much know­ ledge of English, do not have domina­ and such other concerns. All these non-government parties. These have groups have their associations with the their supporters in their parties and out­ ting influence in the parliamentary bigger cities of the area and the im­ side it in the society who may not be parties at the centre. The urban bas portance of the individuals in theses the members of any political party. ed working class members are still rare, but their number and the number of groups in their local setting depends on The Policy-Makers agriculture based members are grow­ this contact with the luminaries of ing in the State legislatures. The re­ their interests in the bigger cities and, The social characteristics of these in the final analysis, in the capital city. policy makers and the influential, their sult is that the difference in the out­ look of the leadership and of their im­ The Rotary, the Lions Clubs and the values and attitudes enter into policy Junior Chambers provide them the con- making and in the execution of the mediate supporters is growing in all the political parties. fact places. The well-to-do agriculturist language policy and in the reactions of and the shopkeeper in the interior is the people to the policy. But the difference between the top their last post in the rural area. The The government intelligentsia comes leaders and the electorate is still wider. leadership comes from these interests from the upper castes, upper income It is true that in any State a political or their nominees and they are the pro­ groups and urban areas or from the ur­ party can come to power only on the ponents and supporters of English in ban influenced sections of rural areas, agricultural vote. At least this is true rural and they are the vocal groups and but in small numbers. They are all de- in the case of the present ruling party. when it is said that even the rural gree holders and also probably specia­ Nearly seventy per cent of the Indian people want English, these are the rural lists in some branches of knowledge. voters are illiterate, i.e. innocent of people, the vocal groups. The social They obey and respect the ministers as even the alphabets of their regional base of English is thus widened and its a matter of routine. But they like or language. Yet it is this voter who puts spread has gone into the rural areas, dislike the minister according to his a party in power. They live in rural i e, nearer to the villages. social origin, his academic achieve­ areas and earn their living by agricul­ A development which the proponents ments, experience and ability. Being ture and occupations dependent on it. and supporters of English deplore is what they are, they have to execute the But the top level leadership comes that the strata which formerly remain- policy. But they can influence the mi­ rarely from this group and even the ed untouched by education now show nisters by putting up a weak case second rank leadership which is nearer a strong desire for it and are sending strongly or a strong case weakly. The to this group, physically and socially, their children to schools and colleges. declared policy can be delayed, hasten­ is yet not of that group. The social composition of primary and ed or twisted in practice. The depen­ By the very nature of the political secondary school pupils and of college dence of the ministers or the govern­ activity this is bound to happen and students in rural areas is changing. ment on these persons is an established there will always be some distance bet­ Though the higher caste students may 442 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY March 6, 1965 be larger in proportion to their caste is that of the nineteenth century Bri­ gions in economic and educational population, the absolute number of tish society. But have the communists fields. But it has given a sense of In­ other castes is increasing. These are and the P S P unequivocally and whole­ herent quality to certain regional groups also the lower income groups. For heartedly proposed and propagated for in regard to certain types of admini­ them education is not only a means of the regional language as the medium strative and technical jobs. Side by earning the livelihood, it is also a of instruction at all levels of education? side with the channelisation of ambi­ means of raising their own status in It is possible that in particular plans tions of the educated section of that their groups and of their groups in re- and in particular situations they might region in that direction comes the belief lation with the traditionally higher have paid lip service to regional langu­ in the inherent incompetence of the groups. age because it suited their immediate people of other regions in that held. political aims. Otherwise, they have The other groups do not admit that The whole mass of rural students and been more faithful to the strata from claim. Consequently, there are ten­ that section coming from lower income which their leadership comes than to sions, This sort of tensions are not groups of ail castes in urban areas their rank and file on whose votes they peculiar to India, but they exist in all suffer the most from the handicap of win their elections. countries wherever similar situations the English medium. Compared to the obtain, including Europe and America. size of these groups it is to the insigni­ The real conflict regarding the place of English, Hindi and the regional They are eased when development re­ ficantly small group in society that aches a comparable level in all regions. English medium affords an advantage lenguages is in the Congress Party. At the States level, the consensus is on the But the intensity of the tensions be­ in addition to the social and economic comes greater while development is advantages that they already have. regional language as the medium of administration. But there is division taking place and also probably when Large number of school and college the rate of development is faster or regarding the medium of instruction at teachers come from this latter section slower in different regions. The poli­ the university level. Even regarding and their views are generally consist­ tical policy makers have to devise the administration, the judiciary at the ent with their position in the hierarchy. mechanisms to manage these tensions top level is conservative. There is some modification in their and not wait till the crisis overtakes position when they are guided by lin­ Language and the Civil Service them. If the tensions are not managed guistic chauvinism and by the con­ In administration the resistence to now they will hamper the development siderations of job opportunities for men the regional language comes from what process. Therefore it is necessary to from their own region. we have called the government intel­ face the problem and not postpone it. ligentsia and the high-ranking officials, The ostrich-like policy of the last 17 English and Mobility many of whom might belong to the years has aggravated the tensions and The usual argument in favour of central services. In some regions not eased them. English as promoting mobility is a fur­ which were slow in catching up with ther illustration of the interests of the the spread of education, there are many Regional Languages Neglected small group that English serves. From persons from other linguistic regions. The clever policy of giving support every region two types of persons mi­ But in others there are few persons to English, Hindi and regional langu­ grate: the educated and the illiterate. from other linguistic regions in that ages has not satisfied anyone, and by The educated communicate in English cadre. A powerful Chief Minister of administrative manouvers, English or with the English-knowing persons of a State was reported to have said that Hindi has been pushed forth and back the other regions. But do the large he would not have central service men at the cost of regional languages. In numbers of engineering, textile and coming from a different linguistic re­ each State attention and energy have building workers from other regions gion. The distribution of regional and been diverted to the Hindi-English con­ communicate with the local people in non-region men in every State, in Cen­ troversy and the State administrations English? They manage with some sort tral and the higher services of the State continued to operate in English and not of Hindi. Do the proponents of Eng­ will be quite revealing. It would reveal in the regional language. Not only that lish visualise a day when all such mi­ that mobility means mobility in one but the conflict between Hindi and re­ grants will be communicating in Eng­ direction only and it is not inter-re­ gional languages was aggravated, lish? This is moonshine in view of the gional mobility. This will be true even thanks to the cleverness of the propon­ fact that only 35 per cent of the in regard to secondary and university ents of English and the folly of some population is literate and 2 per cent teachers. Thus the personnel of the Hindi speaking proponents of Hindi. know English. Even so English is services in one factor in the re­ The latter did not declare their full- shown as the language promoting mobi­ sistence to the regional language. When throated support to the regional langu­ lity. It does, but whose? Of the minor the personnel is from the same region, age in State administration and as the groups of two or three higher castes the resistence to the regional language medium of instruction. They thought and the new well-to-do of the lower is largely due to their class position. that more officers and teachers from castes. The reference group of the pro­ The resistence to Hindi as the official Hindi speaking areas would automatic­ ponents of English is that small group language of the union is due to the ex­ ally strengthen Hindi in other regions. from which they come, pected competition to existing groups The behaviour of these officers and from other regional groups. The mem­ English medium is thus thorough­ teachers was also repugnant to the bers of the central services who are local people. They not only brought ly inconsistent with the advo­ working hard against monopolies in the the clerks but also the peons from the cacy of democracy and socialism. economic field are working equally Hindi speaking areas (e g, in the oil Yet what has been the position of the hard to maintain their monopoly in projects in Gujarat). The standards of parties professing these? The their own field. efficiency of the local peons fell much position of the Swatantra party is below the standards inherited by the easily understandable. Their vision This situation is largely due to the officers and their wives from the feud- of the future Indian democracy unequal development of different re­ 443 March 6, 1965 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY

al landlordism. If the peons do not imperialism becomes stronger. The India. An inefficient man does not be­ come up to that standard of efficiency, English enthusiast asks the peon if he come efficient in another region. And need anything be said of clerks and knows English. Whether or not he further as our aim is to reduce tension lecturers from that region? If such knows cooking and table service is in­ a little difference in efficiency should was not the situation, the Maharashtra quired by both Hindi and English en- be tolerated in favour of the local man. Chief Minister would not have to thusists. As a matter of policy in all The higher posts have to be filled plead while inaugurating some project the central projects the smaller posts keeping the requirements of the post that local people should also be given must be filled by the local people. This in view and not the region of the can­ opportunities of employment in that will not affect efficiency at all, because didate or his mastery over English or project* Thus the suspicion of Hindi we complain of inefficiency all over Hindi, And whatever the language of

444 THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY March 6; 1965 the union may be, government officers age groups. But who can say what not been encouraged and English has must be required to know the language they are and what they will do. For remained entrenched in its position. of the region in which he works. A an immediate tactical gain, they may None of the accredited associations of good deal of the edge of inter-regional do quite the opposite of what their Hindi has wholeheartedly and unequivo­ mistrust will be eased off if this is philosophical position would require cally declared itself in favour of re­ done. • them to do. gional language as the medium of in­ But who will make the rules we ask The question of medium of instruc­ struction and administration in the for? The services will depend on the tion and the medium of administration States. Supporters of English were political policy makers. In the Con­ are thus closely linked with the "in­ naturally glad. Thus English and gress Party with which we are concern­ terests" in society and the political Hindi supporters have been for some­ ed now, the urban interests which have action of the parties according to the time partners, though strange part­ penetrated into the rural areas from the interests that they serve. It may ners, against the regional languages. social base are the proponents of Eng­ happen that the actions of political When the Official Language Act lish. We have described their charact­ groups such as the Swatantra section came into force on January 26, 1965 er. A section of them, particularly in among the leaders and the influential the proponents of English naturally the bigger cities and towns, and even in the Congress or some PSP leaders thought that Hindi was scoring a agriculturists support the Swatantra and the communists may go against the point and therefore regional chauvin­ Party openly. The Swatantra party re­ interests of the masses for which their ism was commissioned into the lies on the English supporting interests parties profess to stand. But that does service of English. If the regional as their fifth column in the Congress not divert the language from its politi­ languages had by now come into their Party. As against these interests in cal and social linkage. It happens be­ own what happened in Madras would Congress and outside, there are the cause of the social charcteristics of these not have happened. The natural supporters of Hindi and the regional leaders. course for Hindi is to come via the re­ languages. Their main source of Conflicting Interests gional languages. The Hindi expan­ strength is in the rural areas. In terms sionists are pressed by the growth of of interests, the PS P members who The proponents of English lack the the new educated class in Hindi speak­ have recently joined Congress have conviction and therefore the courage ing areas which in the part were lagg­ more things in common with them. But of conviction because their idea of ing behind in the economic and edu­ the social roots of their leaders and 19th century British society and the cational race. They find the Bengali their urban nurture fosters in them a polished Indian Englishman does cut and the South Indian English speaking ice with the large masses. The masses "modernistic" mentality and they can­ people entrenched in their own re­ want to know English not for the not easily join hands with the leader­ gions. They want to shove them off love of it but because they know ship of the pro-Hindi pro-regional langu­ and export their surplus to other areas. that it has some use for them and age group. Also tactically they would Enducation in the Hindi speaking areas there it ends. Their attitude towards not like to toe the line easily. But if is still confined to upper income and English is like that of a tenant to­ they do not unite with them they will upper caste strara there. They press wards hired house in which he be as ineffective in the Congress as for standard Hindi of their stratum and lives. Consequently, the command they were when they were outside it. their attitude towards Hindi speakers over English of the large mass of The realisation of this position and of other regions is the same as those students and teachers, lecturers and of corresponding action requires political who complain of poor English of the clerks and officers is not of that stand­ maturity and vision which may be new English speaking stratum. Con­ ard expected by the minority coming wanting. The probability is that they sequently the Hindi speaking man from higher castes, higher income might act more as individuals rather from the standard Hindi speaking area groups and prestige educational is to be preferred to Hindi speakers than as a group or they might act as institutions expect. Each group has sub-groups among themselves. What the feeling of separateness or estrange­ from the non-Hindi speaking area for the actual outcome of their union will ment from the other. The only con­ jobs. This is encouraging Hindi pro­ be also depends on the sections of the sequence can be inefficiency. Yet vincialism in non-Hindi regions and the Swatantra and anti-Swatantra or rural English helps the top people as a regions which are not opposed to Hindi based group in Congress. Any way means of showing and retaining their also begin to be apathetic to Hindi* the present position is that P S P group superiority. Thus they have become The genuine fear of Hindi imperialism in Congress, though it is nearer to the a vested interest. is aroused and the creation of a new- rural group, does not support them Hindi herrenvolk in addition to the wholeheartedly in their pro-Hindi pro- The proponents of Hindi fear the English herrenvolk is threatened. If regional language policy. Among the growth of regional languages. Their the regional languages are freely en­ leaders, some are rootless and some are fear was and is that if the regional trenched in their regions looking to the still rooted in Swatantra social base. languages become the medium of in­ growth of education among the masses struction and administration, it will in every region, inevitably poor com­ Thus within the Congress there is be difficult to dislodge them and the mand over English will naturally lead rivalry and conflict between pro- state administration and education in the to Hindi being accepted as the link Swatantra interests and what we have States will be in Hindi. That is why language. But the reasoning of the now called the rural interests. The without specifying whether it was Hindi herrenvolk is the reasoning of strengthening or weakening of these English or Hindi, they emphasize the the feudal-based expansionist. interests within the Congress will de­ need for a common language for the cide the language issue. whole of India whenever the question The growth of the national language The Communists, if they remained of medium of instruction and adminis­ will come through the growth of the true to their ideology, cannot but sup­ tration comes up. The result has regional language and not vice versa as some Hindi protagonists think. port the pro-Hindi pro-regional langu­ been that the regional languages have 445 BALANCE SHEET OF THE STATE BANK OF INDIA AS AT 31st DECEMBER 1964 PROFIT AND LOSS ACCOUNT FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31st DECEMBER 1964

PARTICULARS OF ADVANCES THE ECONOMIC WEEKLY March 6, 1965

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