English Language Education and Social Mobility: A Critical Review of Research in the Indian Context

Subash P

Abstract: English language education has, more and more, been framed as a strong instrument for social mobility in modern day India. Since globalization is moving together with higher education, and also employment chances are almost always described to be in the need of English proficiency, the language has started to carry a lot of social cultural, and economic weight. In this paper, the researcher critically re-check what earlier research says about how English language education is linked to social mobility, specifically in the Indian setting. The discussion looks at different studies, done across the patchwork of schooling situations, like government schools, private institutions, rural communities, and even the higher education sector, so we can understand how English works, as a kind of gateway for academic access and for job related opportunities. This paper also looks at the various ways English proficiency shapes hope for upward movement, employability, social standing, and empowerment among learners coming from different socio-economic backgrounds. And at the same time, it keeps asking about the unequal realities that remain, especially the gaps in getting to quality English language education. Those gaps seem to hit hardest for students from rural areas, marginalized groups, and families that are economically disadvantaged. Using Critical Pedagogy included with social justice viewpoints, the review brings out the contradictions on one hand English is often promised as a language of opportunity, but on the other hand, learners meet unequal resources, uneven teaching, and learning conditions that are not the same for everyone. Overall, the findings suggest that English language education can help social mobility, and it can widen life chances, but the gains are usually not shared evenly. They end up depending on structural factors connected to class, location, and educational infrastructure. The review also points to missing pieces in the existing studies, like how little attention is given to learners lived experiences, their own agency, and their sense of empowerment, particularly in government school contexts. Finally, the paper ends with recommendations for the future research, calling for studies that treat English language education through critical and context sensitive frameworks. This would help clarify both its transformative possibilities and its limitations, when the goal is equitable social mobility across India.

Keywords: English Language Education, Social Mobility, Critical Pedagogy, Empowerment, Government School Education, Social Justice

How to Cite?: Subash P, "English Language Education and Social Mobility: A Critical Review of Research in the Indian Context", Volume 15 Issue 7, July 2026, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 1113-1116, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR26712091241, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR26712091241

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