A study on Code-Switching and Its Effects on English Communication Skills among Indian Students

Abstract

India is characterised by extensive linguistic diversity, and multilingualism is an integral feature of educational, social, and professional communication. In such a multilingual environment, students frequently alternate between English and their first or other familiar languages during classroom interaction, peer communication, academic discussion, and digital communication. This linguistic phenomenon, commonly referred to as code-switching, has attracted considerable attention in sociolinguistics and language education. The present paper examines the nature of code-switching and its influence on English communication among Indian students. The paper further studies several factors responsible for code-switching and considers whether switching between English and Indian languages facilitates or inhibits English-language development. The paper further advocates a balanced pedagogical approach in which strategic code-switching is recognised as a legitimate multilingual practice while sufficient opportunities for extended English communication are maintained.