India English growth is too slow as compared to other Asian countries. India is falling behind countries like China in its attempts to increase use of English language among its population, a new report by British Council.

The report says that there is “huge shortage” of teachers and the quality of English education in institutions is hampering India despite a growing demand for English skills. English learning process needs to be enhanced and new technology support must be added.

It is clearly stated that China may have more English speaking population than people in India who speak English. It is a cause of concern because India being a major software and IT hub has been because of its English-educated workers. The overall less learned population in English will affect the growth of business and opportunities for people in India in the future.

British author David Graddol says English is a “casualty of wider problems in Indian education”, in his report- English Next India.

“The rate of improvement in the English language skills of the Indian population is at present too slow to prevent India from falling behind other countries which have implemented the teaching of English in primary schools more successfully than as it is happening in India.”, said David.

One estimate suggests that around 333 million people in India are ‘using English’, but India’s National Knowledge Commission says “even now, no more than 1% of our people use English as a second language”.

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Tags: British Council, China, David Graddol, Education, English as a foreign or second language, English language, India, National Knowledge Commission, speaking, spoken English