YES

Logical step 

We anyway depend on our knowledge of English for all official proceedings. Making it the official language is the logical next step. In a country that recognises 22 official languages, English can break linguistic barriers and help us share our ideas with the rest of our countrymen and women. 

Souraja Chakraborty, 
Class XII, St Joseph’s 
Convent, Chandannagore

Lingua franca

English is the lingua franca of the world. Even in the Hindi heartland, most of the technical correspondence and discussions happen in English. And English is the language in which engineering and medical textbooks — in fact, most textbooks in all fields — are written. So we may as well call it our official language and be done!

Amrita Paul, 
Third year, Durgapur Institute of Advanced Technology and Management

Technical expertise

English is the language that is aiding rapid globalisation and development. It is the most common and valuable language in the world. All the technical books in subjects such as engineering, medicine and management are in English. Moreover, knowledge of English keeps us from being confined within just the boundaries of India.  

Tiyasa Mishra, 
Second Year, Midnapore 
College

NO

Majority fail

As the majority of India’s extremely large population does not know English, it’s completely illogical to make it the official language.

Soumili Das, 
Class X, B.D.M. International, Calcutta 

Variety lost 

India, as we know, is a country that boasts of a variety of languages, cultures and religions. If English is made the official language of India, we will lose even this little variety that is left in the world.   

Arghya Banerjee, 
Class VII, The Levelfield School, Birbhum

An injustice

It’ll be unjust and an act of discrimination against the non-English speaking majority of the country if English is made India’s official language. 

Prajwal Choudhary
Class XII, Don Bosco School, Siliguri 

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