# Supreme Court reignites debate on whether English is an Indian language 2026-08-10T20:45:46+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet The Supreme Court has revived the question of whether English qualifies as an indigenous Indian language. The debate, often cast as a contest between English and Indian languages, is both historically misleading and politically unproductive, argues a recent analysis. English arrived with British colonialism but over two centuries has been transformed by its Indian speakers. Today, an estimated 129 million Indians claim English as a first, second or third language, according to the 2011 Census, with functional knowledge possibly reaching 180 million to 250 million. The Constitution retains English for official purposes alongside Hindi, and it remains the medium of instruction in all premier higher education institutions and about 31,000 CBSE-affiliated schools. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - thehindu.com Tags: census 2011, English in India, Indian literature, language debate, multilingualism, Supreme Court Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-revives-debate-is-english-now-an-indian-language/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-revives-debate-is-english-now-an-indian-language/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.