English Opens Doors: Social Class, Equity, and the Expansion of English Education in Indian Public Schools

Abstract

English education in India occupies a complex and contested space within the nation’s linguistic and social fabric. Historically associated with privilege and colonial legacy, English today symbolizes opportunity, employability, and access to global networks. This paper examines how the expansion of English education in Indian public schools intersects with issues of social class, equity, and educational reform. Drawing on the framework of linguistic capital and social mobility, it explores how English functions both as a bridge to empowerment and as a marker of persistent inequality. Government initiatives such as the National Education Policy (2020) and various state-level English-medium programs are analyzed for their role in democratizing language access while confronting the challenges of quality, teacher preparedness, and cultural inclusion. The study highlights the paradox that, while English aims to create an equitable educational landscape, it often reproduces class distinctions through uneven resource distribution and pedagogical gaps. Ultimately, the paper argues that the transformative potential of English in public education can be realized only through policies that integrate linguistic inclusion with social justice, ensuring that English ceases to be the privilege of a few and becomes the shared asset of many.