English language education and Gen Z learners in Indian schools

This study intends to investigate the perceptions and learning of English in Indian Generation Z students and how English is taught in vernacular-medium schools. Analysis of national-level data sets (NCERT/NAS, ASER) situates the findings resulting from a survey of 480 students and 101 teachers in 13 urban and semi-urban schools. The questionnaire addressed student backgrounds, classroom practices, and attitudes toward English. The results found that most Gen Z students start English comparatively earlier (92% begin from Grade I); thus, they view English proficiency as necessary for higher education and employment (97–98% attribute study and career benefits). However, only 17% speak English with ease, a snapshot of national trends toward poor English proficiency (for instance, ASER 2023 records 42% of rural adolescents as unable to comprehend even very simple English statements). The observation of classrooms showed that instruction continues to be teacher-centered, with 87% of the students reporting rote repetition, and code mixing is common, with only 8% of the teachers teaching exclusively in English. We interpret these findings through the lens of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) and sociocultural theory to highlight the gap between the communicative aspirations of students and traditional peda.