#88, Research Paper: ‘What the Learners Don’t’ Learn, Why?: An Investigative Study of the Grammatical Errors of Hindi-medium ESL learners of Uttar Pradesh’ by Dr. Praggya M Singh

English has been a subject of great instructional concern for educators in all sectors of education in India. The recent expansion of convent and English medium schools has become a reality. This is due to the lack of public attention to English taught in Govt. aided schools. Educationists observe that the state Govt is uninterested in fulfilling the social commitment towards education. Recently, some state governments have shown apathy which has led people to believe that it is driving educational institutions towards privatization. So English medium education in India across the country has flourished through many private convent schools and English medium schools. There is a great demand for English in India but at the same time not all the state governments have spelt out a clear policy on continuing English as medium of instruction in schools. But with the proliferation of English medium schools, the following factors make English teaching and learning very complex:

1The demand of English in schools is very high.

1) Performance in English is of fluctuating nature since it cannot be equated with the content based subjects.

2) It enjoys status symbol even in those places where regional language is the medium of instructions.

All these factors make English teaching-learning very complex.

However in some states, State board schools prefer Hindi language as a medium of the instruction. The news is not so good either in non-Hindi medium state. Katakam(2008) reports that in a bid to promote regional languages, the govt. of Maharashtra has recently taken a decision to support only those English-medium aided schools that were established before 1973. Still in such states, State board schools prefer regional language as the medium of instruction. For example, in Uttar Pradesh the regional language is Hindi and the medium of instruction in state board schools remains Hindi. In these schools, English gets the status of second or third language as Sanskrit is also taught along with Hindi. Sanskrit is introduced in class V and English is introduced in class VI.  In 2007, a change in the curriculum has been introduced and now English is being introduced in class III in state board schools. During the 7 years of English instruction from class VI to class XII, theoretically students are introduced to the grammar- translation rules and they know only about reading and writing. The syllabus followed in these states puts an extra emphasis on acquiring the knowledge of grammar. Learning of English here means the learning and subsequent mastery of grammar .The talks about the communicative use of language are wasted upon the learners. But when they enter English medium institutions of higher education, they have to struggle with their varying degrees of English proficiency in written and spoken English. Uses of English for the learners are basically restricted to writing of examination answers in English. Left with no other English, they suffer from inferiority complex and lack of confidence. Teachers are also aware of their helpless situation as there is hardly any opportunity to go beyond the academic ritual of completing the syllabus and counseling the students on how to pass the examinations. On the contrary, ICSE and CBSE Board schools have English as the medium of instruction. In these schools, English is used more prominently than other Boards. Students get English speaking environment in schools. They practice to use English in day to day contexts. Teachers use communicative approach and Direct method to teach English in classrooms. As a result of this difference of the medium of instruction and pedagogical approaches, the students of regional medium background seem to be hesitant to use English even for functional purposes in schools.

A regular interaction with students of North Indian Hindi-speaking states particularly Hindi- medium ESL learners of Mainpuri district of U.P has compelled the researcher to focus on the grammatical errors Hindi– medium ESL learners make. This paper discusses the study performed on the B.A.I year students of B.K.M.P.G.College Bewar Mainpuri

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