LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 14:10 October 2014
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Is ‘English Studies’ in India Student-centric?
A Comparative Study of Syllabi of M.A. English Courses in
Indian Universities and University Grants Commission’s
National Eligibility Test in English

Ravindra Tasildar, M.A., Ph.D.

Abstract

The M.A. English (Master of Arts in English), one of the comprehensive postgraduate (PG) courses in Indian universities, is aimed at equipping students for a number of career options. However, it is common knowledge that a large number of those successfully complete M.A. in English, and become teachers of English at the undergraduate level (Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) for English, 1989:32). The students of the M.A. English appear for University Grants Commission’s National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) in English to qualify for teaching in undergraduate (UG) and PG colleges and university departments. Even though many modern career options are available, majority of Indian students with an M.A. in English aspire to enter the teaching profession. Nowadays experts in the field of higher education in India express need to offer courses relevant to job market needs. Therefore, the focus of this study is to know whether one of the major job-market requirements of students, teaching profession, is taken into consideration while designing syllabi of the M.A. in English courses in Indian universities.

As a case in point, this article analyses the syllabi of the M.A. English courses in ten state universities in Maharashtra State (during 2007-08 to 2013-14) vis-à-vis the syllabi recommended by the UGC committees and the syllabus of UGC-NET (2013) in English. The inferences of this study, mainly based on available syllabus documents, are also supported by findings of a questionnaire-based survey. Keeping in mind the autonomy of Indian universities, the study realizes the need to make syllabi of the M.A. English courses compatible to the syllabus of the UGC-NET in English till the latter is revamped.

Key words: English studies, MA (English), UGC-NET in English, Indian universities.

1.0 Introduction to English Studies

‘English studies’ was known to be primarily concerned with the study of British literature. The genesis of English studies in India may be traced to the hegemonic agenda of introducing English literature during the British rule. In post-independence India, attempts are made to redefine English studies. The horizons of English studies not only include study of English literature and linguistics, but go beyond the study of literatures in English. In the new millennium, a new shift is noticed in the form of interest in critical theories and cultural studies. In short, with the advent of Post-modernism / Post-structuralism / Post-colonialism, the focus has shifted from the study of canonical British literary texts to interdisciplinary studies. On this new avatar of English studies Chandran (2001) comments: ‘English is now generally understood not only as “Language and Literature” (as it used to be), but also as the institutional and cultural practices that underpin them; literature and other arts; literature, philosophy, and the social sciences; disciplinary measures and categories that involve translation, creative writing, media and gender studies, and many more where English may be shown to mediate crucially or it may be gainfully brokered or aligned for professional purposes’ (Chandran, 2001:17 as cited in Rani, 2003:20).

The term English studies, in this article, is limited to the study (teaching and learning) of English in the universities for the undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG) and research degrees like B.A. English Honours, M.A. English, M Phil in English and PhD in English respectively. The UG and PG programmes in English are passing through a phase where a paradigm shift is noticed from teacher-centric (inclusion of texts convenient for teaching), to student-centric (where interests and needs of students are taken into account while designing the syllabus and adopting different teaching methods) approach. Against the backdrop of the present economic scenario, the present article attempts to examine whether English studies in India is student-centric with respect to students’ interests in literature, language, linguistics, cultural and interdisciplinary studies and the demands of professions they prefer.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Dr Ravindra B. Tasildar
Assistant Professor
Department of English
S.N. Arts, D.J.M. Commerce and B.N.S. Science College
Sangamner
Dist. Ahmednagar
Maharashtra State
India
ravishmi1@gmail.com
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