Demystifying the English Language Teaching-Learning Scenario in Engineering Colleges: An Indian context

Abstract

The changing professional and educational needs of an individual is the major determining factor that decides the energy to be consumed and the extent of involvement required for acquiring a foreign language. As the number of employment seekers passing out every year from engineering colleges to the job market outnumbers the available jobs, the empowerment of an engineering graduate in English language has become a major sine qua non and thereby facilitates a serious discussion. Education’s categorical role shift from “nurturing” to “manufacturing” resulted in a rather make-believe approach to the teaching-learning process. English is treated with much indifference and the deprivation of a value added education imparted a false impression about the whole process of learning foreign language as trivial. It also spoiled the actual reason behind the need of being educated in the skill of language. This paper demystifies the current scenario of English language learning of engineering colleges in the Indian context. A survey was conducted among the students of Engineering and Engineering graduates and gathered feedback on a few aspects which throws further insights into the reality