English alone may not be enough. Experts unveil language formula for global careers
India's English learning market is projected to nearly double by 2030. As CBSE strengthens Indian languages under NEP with the three-language policy, experts say students should combine a strong Indian language foundation, workplace-ready English and, where needed, one strategically chosen foreign language for global careers.
"English bole toh salary double."
When Ajay Pratap Singh spotted those words painted on the back of an auto-rickshaw, they stayed with him.
"It made me smile," says Singh, Regional Director, South Asia at ETS, the organisation behind the TOEIC English proficiency assessment. "People on the street understand the value of English. The aspiration is real, it's widespread, and it's driving an entire market."
The numbers back that up. According to The Business Research Company's English Language Training Market Report 2026, India's English language training market is projected to grow from $9 billion in 2025 to $16 billion by 2030, making it one of the world's fastest-growing markets.
But the bigger story isn't the size of the market. It is what that demand says about the future of work.
The question has gained fresh relevance after CBSE clarified how its revised three-language framework will be rolled out, reigniting discussions on how Indian students should prepare for an increasingly global future.
The question is no longer whether English matters.
It is what comes after English.
WHY ENGLISH IS BECOMING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
For a long time, many Indians associated learning English mainly with studying abroad or clearing language tests for overseas admissions.
That remains a major reason. But according to Ajay Pratap Singh, it is no longer the biggest story.
"The honest answer is both, and they're more interconnected than people realise," he says when asked whether the surge in demand is being driven by overseas education or jobs.
A student preparing for an international university is developing the same communication skills that employers increasingly expect in multinational companies, Global Capability Centres and AI-enabled workplaces.
The difference, Singh says, is that the workplace itself is now driving demand much more strongly than before.
According to ETS's TOEIC Global English Skills Report, 90% of employers globally say English proficiency is critical to organisational success. In India, 97% say English has become more important than it was just five years ago.
Singh believes technical knowledge alone is no longer enough.
"Technical skills get you the interview. Communication skills determine whether you get the job and whether you thrive in it," Singh says.
Artificial intelligence is adding another dimension.
"Nine in ten employers in our survey said English skills are needed to use AI tools effectively, to write prompts, to interpret outputs, and to communicate findings," he says.
Schools say they are already seeing this shift inside classrooms.
"English is no longer just a subject to be studied for examinations, but a vital tool for communication, collaboration and critical thinking," says BC Rajeshwari, Principal of Embassy Academy.
She says schools are placing greater emphasis on classroom discussions, presentations, debates and collaborative projects so students learn to use English in real-life situations rather than simply score well in examinations.
CBSE HAS STRENGTHENED THE FIRST LAYER
The debate over language learning has also gained fresh attention after CBSE clarified its revised three-language framework.
Under CBSE's clarified rollout about the three-language formula, students entering Class 6 from 2026-27 onwards will study at least two Indian languages, while students already in Classes 7, 8 and 9 have received a one-time transition so they can continue with their existing language combinations.
Rather than viewing this as a conflict between English and Indian languages, experts argue that India is moving towards a different model altogether.
Rajeshwari agrees. "We do not see these as competing priorities, but rather as complementary elements of a well-rounded education.”
Singh calls it a matter of sequencing.
"The CBSE clarification reflects a thoughtful, phased approach. The emphasis on Indian languages is well-founded, and NEP's broader multilingual vision is something I genuinely believe in," he says.
"I'd say that's exactly the right framework, and the sequencing matters as much as the combination," he adds.
The first layer, he says, is a strong Indian language, ideally the mother tongue.
"This isn't just about identity. Research consistently shows that strong first-language literacy accelerates the acquisition of every subsequent language."
THE SECOND AND THIRD LAYERS
If the first layer is an Indian language, the second is English.
Not classroom English or examination English, Singh stresses, but "genuinely confident, workplace-ready English."
"The ability to write with precision, listen actively, speak spontaneously, and communicate across cultural contexts. This is the layer that will determine a student's mobility across the broadest range of global opportunities," he says.
His third layer is what many students may increasingly have to plan for themselves.
"The third layer is one strategically chosen international language," he says. "Not the language that's most popular or easiest to access, but the one that aligns with where you genuinely want to go."
For an engineering career in Europe, that could be German. Students targeting Japan's technology sector may benefit from Japanese. Mandarin could help those looking at business opportunities in China, while Spanish opens doors across much of Latin America and in many multinational companies.
This does not mean every student will need to learn four languages. For many careers in India and even many international roles, strong English will remain sufficient.
An additional international language becomes a strategic advantage mainly for students targeting specific countries, industries or employers where local-language proficiency can open more opportunities.
CAN SCHOOLS DO IT ALL?
That is where schools face a practical challenge.
Rajeshwari says the discussion should not be framed as Indian languages versus English or foreign languages.
"We do not see these as competing priorities, but rather as complementary elements of a well-rounded education," she says. Indian languages build cultural roots, while English and other international languages prepare students for higher education and careers in an interconnected world.
At the same time, she acknowledges that schools cannot realistically teach every language a student might eventually need.
"Schools play a crucial role in building a strong foundation in language learning, but it may not be practical for every school to offer instruction in a wide range of international languages," she says.
As students pursue opportunities in Germany, France, Japan, Spain or elsewhere, many are likely to learn those languages outside the regular school curriculum through specialised institutes, online platforms or internationally recognised certification programmes aligned with their career goals.
Singh sees that as an opportunity rather than a limitation. "A student who chooses to learn Japanese or French because they are genuinely motivated by where they want to go will invest in it very differently from one who studies it simply to clear an exam."
He adds that many globally recognised language certifications earned through dedicated programmes carry significant value with employers abroad.
PLANNING EARLY COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Both experts agree that language learning should become more intentional.
Singh advises students to identify their target destination early, ideally by Classes 8 or 9, and begin structured learning of the relevant international language alongside school.
"The school system is giving you a strong Indian language foundation. What you build on top of that, and how intentionally you build it, will determine how far your global ambitions can take you," he says.
For decades, English itself was considered the competitive advantage.
The next decade may demand something more nuanced.
A strong Indian language foundation rooted in culture and identity. Workplace-ready English that opens doors across universities, multinational companies and AI-driven workplaces.
And, for students whose ambitions stretch across borders, one strategically chosen international language that matches where they want to go.
By 2030, the students who stand out globally may not simply be the ones who know the most languages. They may be the ones who have learned the right languages, in the right order, and know when to use each one.
As Singh says, "By 2030, the Indian students who will be most competitive globally won't just be the ones with the best technical degrees. They'll be the ones who walk into a room anywhere in the world and can build a relationship, in the right language, with the right cultural register, without needing to be translated."
That future may begin not with choosing between Indian languages and English, but by building the right language foundation first and adding the right international language only when a student's ambitions call for it.
"English bole toh salary double."
When Ajay Pratap Singh spotted those words painted on the back of an auto-rickshaw, they stayed with him.
"It made me smile," says Singh, Regional Director, South Asia at ETS, the organisation behind the TOEIC English proficiency assessment. "People on the street understand the value of English. The aspiration is real, it's widespread, and it's driving an entire market."
The numbers back that up. According to The Business Research Company's English Language Training Market Report 2026, India's English language training market is projected to grow from $9 billion in 2025 to $16 billion by 2030, making it one of the world's fastest-growing markets.
But the bigger story isn't the size of the market. It is what that demand says about the future of work.
The question has gained fresh relevance after CBSE clarified how its revised three-language framework will be rolled out, reigniting discussions on how Indian students should prepare for an increasingly global future.
The question is no longer whether English matters.
It is what comes after English.
WHY ENGLISH IS BECOMING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
For a long time, many Indians associated learning English mainly with studying abroad or clearing language tests for overseas admissions.
That remains a major reason. But according to Ajay Pratap Singh, it is no longer the biggest story.
"The honest answer is both, and they're more interconnected than people realise," he says when asked whether the surge in demand is being driven by overseas education or jobs.
A student preparing for an international university is developing the same communication skills that employers increasingly expect in multinational companies, Global Capability Centres and AI-enabled workplaces.
The difference, Singh says, is that the workplace itself is now driving demand much more strongly than before.
According to ETS's TOEIC Global English Skills Report, 90% of employers globally say English proficiency is critical to organisational success. In India, 97% say English has become more important than it was just five years ago.
Singh believes technical knowledge alone is no longer enough.
"Technical skills get you the interview. Communication skills determine whether you get the job and whether you thrive in it," Singh says.
Artificial intelligence is adding another dimension.
"Nine in ten employers in our survey said English skills are needed to use AI tools effectively, to write prompts, to interpret outputs, and to communicate findings," he says.
Schools say they are already seeing this shift inside classrooms.
"English is no longer just a subject to be studied for examinations, but a vital tool for communication, collaboration and critical thinking," says BC Rajeshwari, Principal of Embassy Academy.
She says schools are placing greater emphasis on classroom discussions, presentations, debates and collaborative projects so students learn to use English in real-life situations rather than simply score well in examinations.
CBSE HAS STRENGTHENED THE FIRST LAYER
The debate over language learning has also gained fresh attention after CBSE clarified its revised three-language framework.
Under CBSE's clarified rollout about the three-language formula, students entering Class 6 from 2026-27 onwards will study at least two Indian languages, while students already in Classes 7, 8 and 9 have received a one-time transition so they can continue with their existing language combinations.
Rather than viewing this as a conflict between English and Indian languages, experts argue that India is moving towards a different model altogether.
Rajeshwari agrees. "We do not see these as competing priorities, but rather as complementary elements of a well-rounded education.”
Singh calls it a matter of sequencing.
"The CBSE clarification reflects a thoughtful, phased approach. The emphasis on Indian languages is well-founded, and NEP's broader multilingual vision is something I genuinely believe in," he says.
"I'd say that's exactly the right framework, and the sequencing matters as much as the combination," he adds.
The first layer, he says, is a strong Indian language, ideally the mother tongue.
"This isn't just about identity. Research consistently shows that strong first-language literacy accelerates the acquisition of every subsequent language."
THE SECOND AND THIRD LAYERS
If the first layer is an Indian language, the second is English.
Not classroom English or examination English, Singh stresses, but "genuinely confident, workplace-ready English."
"The ability to write with precision, listen actively, speak spontaneously, and communicate across cultural contexts. This is the layer that will determine a student's mobility across the broadest range of global opportunities," he says.
His third layer is what many students may increasingly have to plan for themselves.
"The third layer is one strategically chosen international language," he says. "Not the language that's most popular or easiest to access, but the one that aligns with where you genuinely want to go."
For an engineering career in Europe, that could be German. Students targeting Japan's technology sector may benefit from Japanese. Mandarin could help those looking at business opportunities in China, while Spanish opens doors across much of Latin America and in many multinational companies.
This does not mean every student will need to learn four languages. For many careers in India and even many international roles, strong English will remain sufficient.
An additional international language becomes a strategic advantage mainly for students targeting specific countries, industries or employers where local-language proficiency can open more opportunities.
CAN SCHOOLS DO IT ALL?
That is where schools face a practical challenge.
Rajeshwari says the discussion should not be framed as Indian languages versus English or foreign languages.
"We do not see these as competing priorities, but rather as complementary elements of a well-rounded education," she says. Indian languages build cultural roots, while English and other international languages prepare students for higher education and careers in an interconnected world.
At the same time, she acknowledges that schools cannot realistically teach every language a student might eventually need.
"Schools play a crucial role in building a strong foundation in language learning, but it may not be practical for every school to offer instruction in a wide range of international languages," she says.
As students pursue opportunities in Germany, France, Japan, Spain or elsewhere, many are likely to learn those languages outside the regular school curriculum through specialised institutes, online platforms or internationally recognised certification programmes aligned with their career goals.
Singh sees that as an opportunity rather than a limitation. "A student who chooses to learn Japanese or French because they are genuinely motivated by where they want to go will invest in it very differently from one who studies it simply to clear an exam."
He adds that many globally recognised language certifications earned through dedicated programmes carry significant value with employers abroad.
PLANNING EARLY COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
Both experts agree that language learning should become more intentional.
Singh advises students to identify their target destination early, ideally by Classes 8 or 9, and begin structured learning of the relevant international language alongside school.
"The school system is giving you a strong Indian language foundation. What you build on top of that, and how intentionally you build it, will determine how far your global ambitions can take you," he says.
For decades, English itself was considered the competitive advantage.
The next decade may demand something more nuanced.
A strong Indian language foundation rooted in culture and identity. Workplace-ready English that opens doors across universities, multinational companies and AI-driven workplaces.
And, for students whose ambitions stretch across borders, one strategically chosen international language that matches where they want to go.
By 2030, the students who stand out globally may not simply be the ones who know the most languages. They may be the ones who have learned the right languages, in the right order, and know when to use each one.
As Singh says, "By 2030, the Indian students who will be most competitive globally won't just be the ones with the best technical degrees. They'll be the ones who walk into a room anywhere in the world and can build a relationship, in the right language, with the right cultural register, without needing to be translated."
That future may begin not with choosing between Indian languages and English, but by building the right language foundation first and adding the right international language only when a student's ambitions call for it.
