Why English courses must be discipline-specific, not a one-size-fits-all model

The Hindu

2 days ago

As Indian higher education undergoes a transformation through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, a critical academic question surfaces: Should English be taught as a common foundational course across disciplines, or should it be customized to suit each field's professional communication needs?
This is not just a linguistic concern — it's a curricular and structural one, touching upon inclusion, employability, and institutional efficiency.
The Indian context: Multilingual proficiency, unequal foundations
India's educational landscape is linguistically complex. While English is taught in most schools — especially in urban and semi-urban areas — the level of proficiency varies dramatically. Students from English-medium schools often enter university with basic reading, writing, and speaking competence. On the other hand, those from local-language medium schools, particularly in rural areas, may struggle to adapt to academic English demands.
A single, generic English course risks being repetitive for the former and insufficient for the latter. This dichotomy demands a more nuanced approach — one that is both inclusive and academically meaningful.
The curriculum constraint in professional degrees
Courses like Engineering, Law, Commerce, and Nursing are already densely packed with foundational and emerging subjects — including programming, AI, design thinking, environmental studies, biomedical sciences, and clinical skills. Adding multiple English courses (e.g., one common and one specific) is logistically and pedagogically unfeasible.
Meanwhile, the expectations from employers and academic programs go far beyond general fluency. Engineers are expected to write technical reports, design specifications, and user manuals.
Law students must draft legal opinions, case briefs, and arguments. Commerce graduates need to create persuasive proposals, financial communications, and client-facing documents. Nursing professionals are required to maintain accurate patient documentation, prepare clinical reports, and communicate empathetically in medical settings. These tasks require discipline-specific language training, not generic instruction.
Global practices, local possibilities
Several international institutions have successfully implemented discipline-based English instruction. For example, Stanford University and the National University of Singapore (NUS) offer specialized writing modules tailored to students' academic and professional pathways — including law, business, engineering, and health sciences.
This approach enhances both academic readiness and career preparedness, ensuring that language learning is relevant and transferable.
The NEP 2020-compliant solution is separate, discipline-specific English courses. In the Indian context, especially under the NEP 2020's framework for flexibility and contextual learning, a discipline-specific English course model is both pedagogically sound and administratively feasible.
Instead of a shared course with variations (which can complicate course codes, assessments, and outcomes), universities can offer separate English papers aligned with each degree program. These courses would:
Have unique course codes and syllabi
Use customized reading materials and assessments
Be evaluated independently within each department
Examples of such courses can be English for Engineering Communication; Legal English and Advocacy Writing; Business English and Corporate Communication; Clinical English for Nursing and Allied Health Sciences
This clarity benefits students, faculty, and administrators alike, aligning with NEP 2020's thrust on multidisciplinary yet modular curriculum design.
Inclusion through a non-credit bridge course
For students entering from local-language schools or first-generation learners, universities can offer a non-credit 'Bridge Course in Academic English' during the induction period. This short-term, intensive module — focused on essential academic vocabulary, reading strategies, structured writing, and oral expression — will help level the playing field.
Such a course can be designed using digital tools, peer tutoring, and multilingual scaffolding, ensuring that no student is left behind — a central goal of NEP 2020.
Tailoring language for learning and employment
In India's diverse and dynamic educational ecosystem, the era of 'one-size-fits-all' English instruction is over. A common English course may simplify administration, but it falls short in equipping students for real-world academic and professional demands.
Instead, discipline-specific English courses — supported by non-credit bridge programs for underprepared learners — offer a flexible, inclusive, and effective model. This approach honours NEP 2020's vision of contextual, learner-centric, and career-ready education. As universities reimagine curriculum design, it's time English instruction does the same — not just common, but customized for success.
(N. Siva Prasad is a former professor of Mechanical Engineering at IIT Madras)
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