Comprehension Passage
From the data, it is clearly seen that more than 61% of all the private unaided (recognized) schools are those that offer an Indian language as a medium of instruction, while English medium schools account for only about 39%. In terms of enrollment, English, however, has the highest enrollment at 51.55%, while other languages account for the rest. This discrepancy is because English schools are found throughout the country. Amongst the Indian languages, Hindi medium schools are the most prominent, accounting for 36.08% of these schools with an enrollment of 30.78%. This predominance of Hindi medium schools is understandable since Hindi is spread across a larger landmass, thereby reaching more people. The rest of the languages have lesser numbers, as they are mostly confined to their regional states. Nonetheless, the total enrollment in languages other than English is nearly 50%, a significant figure demonstrating that a considerable number of students, more than 4 crore out of the 8.4 crore students enrolled in private unaided schools of the recognized type, are studying in private schools in mediums other than English. This data suggests the presence of an enormous number of such schools catering to crores of students in regional languages on an all-India basis.
A similar pattern is also observed in unrecognized schools, the ones that are not officially recognized and not affiliated with any education board, although their numbers are much less. Many commentators have attributed the growth of private schools over the last few decades to the lure of English and the better life chances that it offers. However, the existing data show that more than half of the private schools teach in regional Indian languages, and they have remained largely unnoticed. The paper argues that the market reforms from the 90s have led to a change in the nature of language politics in the country. Market forces have capitalized on the demand for private schooling, both in English and in Indian languages, indicating a nuanced shift in educational preferences influenced by socio-economic dynamics and cultural identities.
What change did the market reforms from the 90s bring according to the passage?
1
Led to the decline of private schools in regional languages.
2
Decreased the number of students enrolled in English medium schools.
3
Caused a shift in the nature of language politics, with market forces capitalizing on the demand for schooling in both English and Indian languages.
4
Made English the only viable medium of instruction in private schools.