Imperialism may be over, but the political, economic and cultural subjugation of social life through English has only intensified. This book explains how English has been newly constituted as a dominant language in India through the fervent aspirations of non-elites and the zealous reforms of English Language Teaching experts. In the process, English has been transformed from a second (academic) language to a first (communicative) language. This book offers a sociolinguistic analysis of 'low-fee private schooling'. Development scholars have explained low-fee private schooling within the framework of 'school choice' arguing that non-elites are comparing the efficiency of state-funded and private schools in order to choose better services. This book demonstrates that political economic transitions experienced as radical social mobility have led to intense parental desire for (low-fee) private English schooling. Rather than English schooling leading to social mobility, social mobility necessitates English schooling.