ABSTRACT
This chapter begins by giving a brief historical overview of English in education in India and then goes on to use the example of the University of Delhi to show the role of English as a medium of instruction. The role of English in the life of the tertiary education institutions in India has, if anything, expanded in scope and outreach over the years. The dominance of English in the language scene of the country in the last six decades, particularly higher education, has been due to the official language policy and half-hearted efforts at creating viable alternatives. The most characteristic feature of Indian bilingualism has been its allocation of social roles to different languages falling within the range of the verbal repertoire of a speech community. This reinforces the point that English is considered necessary for education and information whereas the local language or Hindi is preferred for an Indian identity.
