Multilingualism, Language Policy, and ELT in Karnataka Higher Education: A Qualitative Document Analysis

Abstract

This study explores the relationship among multilingualism, language policy, and English Language Teaching (ELT) practices within a wide context of the higher educational system in Karnataka. This paper mainly focuses on the gap that exists between multilingual educational policies and their actual implementations on the ground. Drawing upon India’s National Education Policy (NEP 2020), university curriculum frameworks, policy documents, and selected ELT materials, the research investigates how multilingualism is represented, negotiated, and institutionalized in contemporary academic discourse. Adopting a qualitative research framework, such as document analysis and thematic analysis, the study explores the institutional importance and placement of English alongside regional languages like Kannada in the Karnataka context in higher education. The research is informed by theories of Global Englishes and multilingual pedagogies, particularly the works of Kachru (1992) and García and Wei (2014). This paper’s objective is to contribute to current discussions on language policy, multilingual communication, and present ELT practices in Karnataka, at the same time bringing out the tensions between global English and local and regional linguistic identities.