Skip to main content

Knowing a foreign language gives you the edge

By: Ajeet Singh
Updated On: 
GLOBALIZATION has meant a boom time for those who know languages of developed or emerging economics. Call centres and back-end operations of MNCs are recruiting students proficient in foreign languages like French, German, Spanish and even Mandarin. The specialist language occupations include working as a translator, interpreter, language teacher or linguist. Academic qualifications in foreign languages assist in pursuing careers in the areas of tourism, entertainment, public relations and embassies, diplomatic service, publishing, etc.

Deciding on a language
"Popularity or better career prospects in a foreign language are linked with the international and economic ties with a particular country," says Professor Sankar Basu, Dean, School of Language, Literature and Culture studies, JNU.

Though many teachers discourage choosing a language based on its worth, B Mathews, administrative manager, Instituto Hispania says it is a practical approach. "One should keep in mind the viability of a language as one invests time and effort." Aptitude and demand for a language are most important.
Admissions Open Now
Admission open for Batch 2016 at Manipal University. Apply Now
You can choose to pursue a diploma in foreign language. Read on...

Jobs & Opportunities 
Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe-Institut), for example, has designed its curriculum to cater to the private sector. Business German is an important component of its syllabus. ‘While our primary focus is on imparting communication skills, learning Business German only improves careers prospects even more,’ says Dr. Stefan Dreyer, Regional Director, South Asia, Goethe-Institut, Max Mueller Bhavan.

Pay packages: 
While interpreters charge Rs. 1,000 per hour to Rs. 25,000 a day, translators earn on a per word basis (from 60 paise to Rs. 5 per word). Foreign language professionals are also needed by the IT and offshoring industry and salary depends on the language and proficiency.

                                              Must read: Career in foreign languages  

Select institutions that teach foreign languages
LanguageAwardInstitutesWebsite
ArabicBAUniversity of Delhiwww.du.ac.in
BulgarianAdvanced DiplomaGoa universitywww.unigoa.ac.in
ChineseDiplomaUniversity of Calcuttawww.caluniv.ac.in
ChineseDiploma/CertificateChinese Language Institutewww.chinese.in
FrenchBAUniversity of Delhiwww.du.ac.in
FrenchCertificateMadurai Kamaraj Universitywww.mkudde.org
FrenchDiploma/CertificateAlliance Françaisewww.afindia.org
GermanDiplomaUniversity of Calcuttawww.caluniv.ac.in
GermanCertificate (PT)Guru Nanak Dev Universitywww.gndu.ac.in
GermanDiploma/CertificateGothe Institutewww.gothe.de
ItalianDiploma/CertificateItalian Cultural Institutewww.iicnewdelhi.esteri.it
JapaneseDiploma University of Delhiwww.du.ac.in
JapaneseDiploma/CertificateMombusho Scholar's Association of Indiahttp://momo.jpf.go.jp/jlpt
SpanishDiploma/CertificateInstituto Hispaniahttp://institutohispania.com
VariousDiploma/CertificateYMCAwww.newdelhiymca.org
VariousDiploma/CertificateBharatiya Vidaya Bhawanwww.bhawans.info  


More course options after Class 12:

Allied Medical, Fine Arts, Engineering, Teaching, BA/BSc/BCom, Special Education, Journalism,Home Science, Medicine, Armed Forces, Hotel Management, Legal study, exotic courses, CA/CS/CWA, Biotech, VISCOM, Indian Coast Guard, Design

Post your queries and comments below this column, and we would be happy to respond!
First Published On : 29 Jul 2013 05:50 PM IST
Post Comment
ABOUT AUTHOR
Ajeet Singh

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rising demand for Foreign language grads By:   Rashi Varshney Updated On:  30 Apr 2014 01:36 PM IST     Follow 2 Indian students are increasingly learning foreign languages to move up their career graph FRANK  Smith, a renowned psycholinguist, famously said, “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.” Imagine a situation, where from amongst thousands of job applicants to an MNC, you get selected, because your CV boasts of Spanish, or say, French. In India, proficiency in a foreign languages seems to have become a norm now, as it guarantees a job in an Embassy with quite a number of perks, or one which offers foreign trips and so on. “With organizations expanding internationally and venturing into new territories, they stand in need of skilled professionals who can transcend languages and cultural barriers and enable smooth and successful business transactions,” said Adity...
3 comments
Read more
DailyVocab: Easy way to learn English By:   Nimesh Chandra Updated On:  11 Mar 2014 12:19 PM IST     Follow CONCEPTUALIZING  the meaning of a word is often contextual. And what better way it would be to remember a complex word using pictures in a given context! DailyVocab, a start-up at MICA plans to do just that. According to founder, Anshul Agarwal, “English language learning is a serious problem in India and needs to be solved. One way to make the learning interesting, is through ‘Vocab Meme’ that teaches word power using Internet memes which are quite popular among youth and shared/liked frequently on various social media platforms." Dailyvocab.com is particularly useful for students who are preparing for competitive exams like GRE, CAT, SAT, IELTS, TOEFL and Bank PO. It is also useful for people who are learning English as a second language but do not have the time to attend offline classes. Admissions Open Now A...
Post a Comment
Read more
Career in Foreign Languages By:   Sumita Vaid Updated On:  17 Jun 2014 04:18 PM IST     Follow 5 VIDHI  and Prashant are looking at the notice board outside the Department of Germanic and Romance Studies at Delhi University. There's a play in Italian and they are scribbling down the details while the admission queue by their side spills into the lawns. They both are relieved their MA admission forms are now with the officials behind the windows. 'There will be an entrance, and then an interview,'Vidhi says wiping the sweat off her forehead with a handkerchief buried in her hand. When Vidhi enrolled for BA in Programming suddenly she was attracted to the idea of learning a foreign language. For her friend, Prashant, learning French first started out as a hobby and then later became a career option. While Prashant enrolled in Alliance Française, Vidhi did an advanced diploma in German language from St Stephen's, and both ...
Post a Comment
Read more