Course Details
Most of the universities in India offer 3 types of courses in foreign languages: Certificate, Diploma and Degree courses. The eligibility condition & duration of courses differ from university to university. However, generally, for Certificate course the minimum qualification is 10+2 pass in any discipline. The degree courses are open to graduates in any discipline. Some institutes offer both basic and advanced level courses such as postgraduate and PhD in foreign languages.
Career Prospects
Job prospects for foreign language students ranges from secretarial, executive and public relation assignments to translation and interpretation. Translators are employed with industrial houses, publishing houses, research institutes and government organisations like the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and embassies of foreign countries. Foreign Companies working in India such as HP, Oracle, Samsung, Hyundai, LG, Thomson, GE etc are employing language experts. Best jobs for linguists lay in the tourism industry as tourist guides in the Dept of Tourism of Government of India and private tour and travel agencies.
Hotels and airlines also require the services of persons proficient in foreign languages. Other job opportunities for a language specialist, exhibitions and fairs, export agencies and trade organizations. There are also ample opportunities for linguists as online content writer, technical translators and decoders. Academic qualifications in foreign languages helps in pursuing careers in the areas of entertainment, public relations and mass communication, diplomatic service, BPO's and KPO's.
The most common of all the available career options in foreign language is teaching. For being, a teacher one should have higher qualification in foreign languages such as M.Phil or Ph.D. Often foreign linguists may work as freelancers. These people can work with translation bureaus, research organisations, international organisations like UNO, FAO, WTO, IMF, foreign companies, Reserve Bank of India, publishing houses etc.
Top Colleges Offering UG/PG/Other Courses
Jawaharlal Nehru University and Delhi University both in Delhi; Aligarh Muslim University, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi; Calcutta University, Kolkota; Calicut University, Malappuram; Hyderabad University, Mumbai University, Madras University, Chennai; Lucknow University, Utkal University, Orissa and Vishva Bharati, Shantiniketan are some of the prominent institutes offer degree courses in foreign languages.
Remuneration
Scales of pay of linguistics vary with kind of position they held and place of their work. Translators get Rs 50 to Rs100 per page while interpreters get Rs300 to 500 per hour. Teachers in foreign languages can earn Rs 10000 to 20000 per month. Linguistics working as tour and travel industry can earn Rs 15000 to Rs 20000 per month. Foreign linguistics workings as freelancer also have good returns.
