Importance of Foreign Languages for Indian Students

“English is the language on which the sun does not set, whose users never sleep.” - Randolph Quirk



According to Evaluserve, an internal research company, “There will be a potential demand for over 1, 60,000 foreign language professionals in Indian off-shoring (IT, BPO) industry by 2010.”



The way Indian students learn certain courses apart from their academic qualifications, they should learn an extra foreign language as well as it is always an added advantage. The students those who have the intention of pursuing their higher studies abroad learning extra language pays. It minimizes the cultural gaps arising due to miscommunication and promotes effective cross cultural communication and relations. One of the reasons why Indian students facing problems in Australia is due to lack of proper cultural awareness, understanding and assimilation.



Currently there is dearth of foreign language professionals in India which provides excellent opportunities for Indians. We can expect huge potential with immense job opportunities both in academic institutions and the industry for foreign languages.





Significance to Students:



Language is a window to an outside world. Knowing an extra langue is like opening another window to the outside world. It opens more channels, paths, avenues and provides more opportunities and makes Indian students well equipped and makes them to be culturally more fit and competitive.



Knowledge in more foreign languages enhances employability skills. It adds value and becomes another feather in their caps. Students learn several courses along with their academic activities to stay ahead of competition. Knowing an extra language tips the scales in favor of students at the time of interview. Now-a-days, people with multilingual skills are given preference by companies. For instance, if the employer has an office in Germany and the prospective employee knows German language then the employer may consider offering placement to the candidate. It is beneficial for both the employees and employers. It is beneficial for the employees as they get the job just because of knowing German language and it is beneficial for the employers as well as they do not have to train the employees about German language.



Every year, there is huge number of graduates (both professional and non-professional courses) pass out from educational institutions in India. They do lot of courses related to their domain. Besides, if they learn a new language it becomes a value addition. It makes them rise from the rest whenever and wherever they go across the globe.





Importance to Language Experts:



As per a survey, Indian translation industry is expected to cross $ 500 million in 2010 with a projected growth rate of 30% - 60%.



There are lots of opportunities for foreign language professionals and translation industry experts as the economy has been opened up and the companies are looking for expansion and growth. In this process, the language as a barrier can be broken only by language experts and translators who have huge potential to transform content from one language to another language.



There is huge potential lying untapped in foreign languages domain. There is huge demand for language professionals especially in services sectors like hospitality, tourism, and pharmaceutical sectors to name a few. Language experts, instructors and professionals have great opportunities ahead in the area of foreign languages.



It is reported that IBM gets 60 per cent of its business from English speaking countries. That means there is still 40 per cent of potential lying untapped. It is possible only when it focuses on foreign language experts and instructors for training their employees to promote their business.





Soft Skills and Foreign Languages:



“Soft skills are more important than software skills”, says Amarnath Reddy Atmakuri, Chief Executive Officer of IEG (Institute of Electronic Governance), Jawahar Knowledge Center. He opines that when people are good at soft skills they can easily be taught about software skills.



Soft skills have close association with foreign languages. People often mistake soft skills for English speaking skills in India. Soft skills are not associated with any specific language. It focuses on how an individual speaks rather than what an individual speaks. Being good at soft skills plays a crucial role in learning any foreign language. In addition, having cross cultural awareness, cross cultural competency along with the foreign language makes things easier for the learners. It also helps to build a good rapport with others. The globe is becoming smaller with the growing rapid technology and it is equally important to focus on cultural issues along with language skills to reap rewards.





Conclusion:



As Indians focus on English language they should focus on other languages as well right from the childhood. Indians have the cultural adaptability and almost all Indians have knowledge of their mother tongue, a bit of English and another Indian language. Having one more foreign language adds as a feather in their caps. Learning an extra language can be treated as a hobby as people can derive pleasure out of learning. It also activates their grey cells. It is time Indian students and academicians focused on learning new foreign languages to have competitive advantage and also to ensure success at the workplace.



The End