Indian students who choose to study in Anglo-Indian schools
learn all their subjects in English. They arrive in an
Anglo-Indian school fluent in an Indian language. They
learn English as a second language in an Anglo-Indian
school. As the medium of instruction is English, they
learn to read, write and speak English fluently.
However, the initial advantages for Anglo-Indians are
slowly eroded. The timetable is biased towards non Anglo-
Indians learning a second language - English. The reality
is that Anglo-Indians thus spend too small a proportion of
the timetable learning a second language - Hindi or a state
language. So, Anglo-Indians fail to pass Indian language
examinations. (43) The Indian government's language policy
has changed but language teaching has remained unchanged in
Anglo-Indian schools since 1956. (44)
The Commission also looked at religious education and
advocated a neutral, secular position. Anglo-Indian
schools, as a result, now offer religious education outside
the normal school timetable. Religion cannot be taught
during school hours. This has proved problematical,
because while Anglo-Indians are taught about Christianity,
the Indians are given lessons on ethics. This has split
the student population, and further alienated Tknglo-Indians
from Indians. Anglo-Indian teachers call the
. . . before school or after school religious
education classes a farce. It is time for
homework, and an invasion of precious extra
curricular activities. (45)
The decision to offer radical new solutions to issues of
language and religion in Anglo-Indian schools were, in
part, based on requests by Tknglo-Indian teachers. By 1990,
the effect of the Kothari Commission's report produced
comments from teachers in the schools along the lines of:
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