Neoliberalism, English and the Market: A Discourse Analysis of Policy and Promotion in Indian Higher Education

Abstract

This article explores how English is discursively constructed and commodified within the neoliberal landscape of Indian higher education. Drawing on critical discourse analysis (CDA), it examines six national policy documents—including the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, UGC, AICTE, and NAAC guidelines—alongside promotional materials from a diverse set of Indian universities and reflective teaching experiences. The institutional corpus includes prestigious public institutes (such as IIT Bombay, AIIMS, IISc, IISER Pune, NIT Trichy, and ISRO-affiliated bodies) and private universities with strong international branding (including Ashoka, O.P. Jindal, Amity, Shiv Nadar, Manipal, and SRM). These institutions were purposively selected to represent both state-driven and market-facing visions of higher education. The analysis reveals how English functions not merely as a medium of instruction but as a symbol of merit, employability, and global connectivity. While policies appear to promote multilingualism and inclusivity, institutional discourse often reinforces English as the primary currency of academic and economic mobility. Drawing on CDA frameworks by Fairclough, van Dijk, and Wodak, the article demonstrates how linguistic hierarchies are constructed through terms like “global competence,” “internationalization,” and “English-medium excellence.” It also reflects on classroom experiences in India and the Gulf to highlight student anxieties and performative pressures. The article concludes by advocating for critically aware, equity-driven language policies that challenge monolingual ideologies and support pluralistic futures for higher education in the Global South.