Ahmedabad: English-medium sections in schools run by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) have been registering a sustained increase in new primary school admissions with a growing number of parents now preferring English, the most widely spoken language in the world, as a medium of instruction.AMC data revealed that in 2024, 3,953 new students enrolled in English-medium sections in its primary schools, doubling from 1,967 students in 2023. Of these, 1,629 students joined pre-primary schools, while 2,246 were admitted to Class 1, reflecting a growing desire among parents to begin their child’s English education early. Dr Lagdhir Desai, municipal school board administrative officer, says the demand has increased so rapidly that eight of the 55 English medium sections are now running at full capacity, with more than 400 students on the admission waitlist. “Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that English opens doors to higher studies and jobs,” Desai said. “This demand wasn’t present a decade ago.”He added that from a single school in Shahpur in 2010, AMC now runs 55 English medium schools across the city, where two more standards (grades) are being added every two years to keep pace with students advancing through classes. Ruchita Shah, principal of AMC’s Thaltej Public School’s English medium section, which has 273 students and has seen 48 new admissions this year, agrees. “Parents now want their children to be confident English speakers. For many, it’s a matter of academic aspiration and long-term planning,” she said.The trend, fuelled by hopes of access to better prospects and improved language skills, reflects a larger shift in how lower- and middle-income urban families perceive public education.
