Changing paradigm of english studies in India: Colonial and post-colonial perspectives

So far the journey of English Studies in India is concerned, it can broadly be segmentalised in two major segments ie. firstly ‘English Studies in Colonial India’ and secondly ‘English Studies in Post-Colonial India’. This division is very much apt so far as the core objectives of English Studies are concerned. Colonial English Studies were introduced to this nation as the part of intellectual design of colonial forces to cater to their specific requirements by preparing ‘a class’ of people ‘who may be interpreters between them and the millions whom they govern; primarily the stressing motief was to prepare a class of persons ‘Indian in blood and colour but English in taste, in opinions, in morals and in intellect’ (Macaulay, Minute on Education) and so English was injected in the intellectual veins of Indians whereas in the Post-colonial India English Studies are getting more and more significant and making its impact on the lives of its people. For Post-colonial India English Studies are like insulins to be injected into the intellectual veins of Indians in order to meet out the emerging challenges posed by the Liberalization, Privatization and Globalization (LPG) and cater to the needs of Cross Cultural Communication (CCC). Towards the beginning of the second decade of the Twenty first century English is playing a pivotal role in diversified areas viz. English as the single most important link-language linking not only to the maximum states of India rather to the maximum nations of the world, as the most techno-friendly language. By speculating the perspectival shifts this study attempts to asses the varied roles of English Studies in colonial and post-colonial India.