Earlier, learning a foreign language was like any other hobby that people would love to flaunt in their CV. However, with the boom in globalization, the career prospects for foreign languages in India have increased immensely.

Nowadays, foreign languages are considered as a full-fledged career rather than a sideline career.

The leading job prospects for foreign language learners are as Teachers or Professors, Translators or Interpreters, Consultants, Diplomats, etc.

Besides, even if you are not looking for a full-fledged career in Foreign languages in India, you can consider it if, you are interested in studying or working abroad.

Now the question is, which foreign language to learn India?

The main foreign languages to learn in India are Chinese, French, Japanese, Russian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Arabic and Korean.

All of them have some similarities and differences. Languages like German, French, and Spanish are similar to English and easier to learn for people having good command over English. Whereas others like Chinese, Japanese and Korean come from an entirely different language root.

However, before choosing the language that you are going to learn, you should know which countries speak these languages. Reading about the culture and history of these countries will help you get an idea as to which culture and language fascinates you the most.

The main languages, that you can learn and add to your CV to have that edge over others are mentioned hereunder:

1. Learn Chinese Language

As per the CIA World Fact Book report, Chinese is spoken by 20.70% people in the world.

Even then, it is not among the top 3 most popular languages in India, because it comes from an entirely different language root and is complicated to learn.

However, if we talk about its career prospects, the increasing presence of China in the global economy will open avenues for Chinese speakers in the world. Besides, India will need more Chinese speakers to attract tourists from China in the coming years.

Most of the Indian students do not prefer Chinese to Spanish, German and French because of its complicated nature; this can be a positive thing for many, who do not want to be a part of any competition.

Some of the best places to learn Chinese in Delhi are:

• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
• Institute for Career Studies YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)

Though Chinese is one of the most difficult languages to learn, if you get through it, you will end up making fairly decent money.

2. Learn Spanish Language

Spanish is another most widely spoken language after Chinese. It is the official language of over 20 countries in the world. It is also the official language of international organizations like Organization of American States, European Union and United Nations.

The most luring thing about Spanish is that it has the easiest syntax and grammar, and its vocabulary is quite similar to English.

India’s growing relationship with Spanish-speaking countries like Latin America, Argentina, Colombia, etc. is one reason behind the increasing demand for Spanish in India.

Spanish is, in fact, one of the hottest languages in India. The career prospects for Spanish as teachers, translators, diplomats etc. are growing and are immense.

Some of the best places to learn Spanish in Delhi are:

• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Instituto Hispania
• I.P. College for Women, Delhi University
• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
• Institute for Career Studies YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)

3. Learn Russian Language

Russian is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. As per an announcement in 2013, Russian was found to be the second most-used language on the Internet after English.

Russian is spoken in over 26 countries in the world.

The greatest scope for Russian in India is in Travel and Tourism. Goa and Kerala are the main destinations for Russian tourists. India will need more Russian workforce in the coming years to attract tourists from Russian-speaking countries.

Besides, after learning Russian, you can provide coaching classes to students or adults who are heading to Russia for study, travel or work purpose.

Some of the best places to learn Russian in Delhi are:

• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
• Hindu College, Delhi University
• Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur Khalsa College, Delhi University
• Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University

4. Learn Japanese Language

The craze for Japanese among Indians started in the early 21st century.

The first place to start Japanese language education in India was Pune. The first Japanese language teachers came to Pune in the 1970s; the University of Pune established a Japanese language course in 1977.

The increasing trade between Japan and India is the reason behind the increased scope of Japanese in India.

Over 200 Japanese companies have started operating in India in past few years. These companies need a large number of interpreters and translators as Japanese are reluctant to speak English or any other language.

Like Chinese, Japanese also comes from an entirely different language root, so, is harder to learn.

The CBSE has recently announced, that it is planning to introduce the Japanese language as a part of curriculum in Indian secondary schools. This action by CBSE will lead to a huge demand for Japanese teachers in India.

Some of the best places to study Japanese in Delhi are:

• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Institute for Career Studies YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)
• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan
• Department of East Asian Studies, Delhi University
• Ramjas College, Delhi University
• Daulat Ram College, Delhi University

You’ll also like: Top Foreign Language Institutes In Delhi

5. Learn German Language

About 1.8% of the world’s population speaks German. German is the most popular Foreign language among Indians besides Spanish and French.

It has a more complex syntax than Spanish but easier than French, Chinese and Japanese. German grammar is quite similar to that of English.

German is quite famous among Indian students who are planning to study abroad because Germany offers cheaper education as compared to other European countries.

If we talk about its future prospects, a lot of Private schools in Indian cities have introduced German as a compulsory subject at primary and secondary level. It is quite evident that the demand for German teachers in India is going to rise considerably in the near future.

Some of the best places to study German language in India are:

• Max Mueller Bhawan
• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Institute for Career Studies YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)
• Amity School of Foreign Languages
• Stephens College, Delhi University
• Department of Germanic & Romance Studies, Delhi University
• Miranda House, Delhi University
• Hindu College, Delhi University
• Ramjas College, Delhi University
• Gargi College, Delhi University
• Sri Venkateswara College, Delhi University

6. Learn French Language

French is the official language of many international organizations such as UN, WTO, NATO, ISO, ISA, Interpol, FIFA and a lot more. Also, French is the official language of over 40 countries.

Other than that it is the most frequently used language on the internet and the most famous among Indians. French is simpler to learn for Indians because of the fact that 50% of English words have their origin in French.

Some of the best places to learn French in Delhi are:

• Miranda House, Delhi University
• Hindu College, Delhi University
• Ramjas College, Delhi University
• Amity School of Foreign Languages
• Alliance Francaise
• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Institute for Career Studies YMCA (Young Men’s Christian Association)

7. Learn Korean Language

Korean is a language that is gradually gaining popularity among Indians because of increasing participation of Korean companies like Samsung, LG, Hyundai etc. in Indian economy. Like Japanese and Chinese, Korean too is a difficult language to learn. However, Korean shares a similar Grammar structure with Japanese, so, if you are planning to learn Japanese or Korean, you can consider learning the other subsequently.

Research says Korean is the most sought-after language after Japanese. The JNU was the first institute in South Asia to offer a diploma in Korean in 1974. In 1995, degree courses were also launched. In 1998, MA and PhD courses were put on the menu.

Some of the best places to learn Korean in Delhi are:

• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Daulat Ram College, Delhi University
• School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University

8. Learn Italian Language

Since past few years, India is not having a very cordial relationship with Italy. However, the scope for learning Italian is still there, as Italian companies like Fiat, Benetton, Lloyd, Marconi and Pinnacle etc. that have set up their business in India are looking for Italian speakers.

The best part about Italian is, it complements Spanish and French quite well. Spanish and Italian have almost 82% lexical similarities. So, if you want to learn more than one language at a time, Spanish and Italian could be a great option.

Some of the best places to study Italian in Delhi are:

• Ramjas College, Delhi University
• Daulat Ram College, Delhi University
• Faculty of Arts, Delhi University

9. Learn The Portuguese Language

Portuguese is spoken by over 250 million people in the world. The number is certainly higher than the number of people speaking German, French, Japanese or Italian.

Portuguese is the official language of many international institutions including FIFA, European Union, Organization of American States, Union of South American Nations etc.

To talk about its career prospects, many of the Multinational Companies in India like Accenture, IBM, Allegis Services India etc. are looking for Portuguese language experts.

Besides, the good thing about learning Portuguese is it shares lexical similarity with Spanish, not as much as Italian though.

Best place to learn Portuguese in Delhi is:

• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

10. Learn Arabic Language

Arabic is yet another language that is gradually gaining popularity, because of the presence of the mid-east countries like UAE and Saudi Arabia in the global economy. It is the official language of over 25 countries in the world.

Besides, if you already know Urdu you will find it easy to learn Arabic.

Some of the best places to learn Arabic in Delhi are:

• Zakir Hussain College, Delhi University
• School of Foreign Languages, IGNOU
• School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies, JNU
• Faculty of Humanities & Languages, Jamia Milia Islamia University
• Jawaharlal Nehru Academy of Languages, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Which Foreign Language Is In Demand In India (2017)?

It is not possible to suggest any one particular language. Because it depends on the purpose of the person learning the language.

However, here are a few languages that hold great importance in 2017 and beyond from the perspective of career opportunities:

Mandarin Chinese is the language that has the highest number of speakers, over one billion to be more precise. With its increasing presence in the global economy, it has and will open many career avenues for youngsters.

Source: British Council

Spanish happens to be the second most widely spoken language and holds great significance for those willing to pursue higher education or career in countries like Latin America, Spain, and USA.

The number of German speakers is quite less as compared to Spanish and Mandarin. However, Germany is the largest economy in the European Union. Besides, due to a reasonable cost of education, a lot of Indians head to Germany every year.

Many Indians enjoy an edge here, German and Spanish are among the easiest languages to learn for those possessing knowledge of English. Also, German, Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese are among the languages being taught in many of Indian schools.

Japan is the third largest economy in the world and its trade relations with India are flourishing continuously.

Source: Economic Times

It is quite certain that the job opportunities for Japanese speakers are going to rise immensely in the future. Besides, as Japanese is considered as a tough language not many people opt for it. So, the people who do not want to be a part of a severe competition can leverage from learning Japanese.

Arabic is among the most prominent languages of the Middle East. And due to an increasing presence of middle eastern countries in the world economy, it is one of the hottest languages to learn. Also, as Indians are continuously looking up to middle east to find jobs, the language’s importance is immense for Indians.

Conclusion

All I can assure you of is that you will never regret learning a new language. You will be able to have experiences that a monoglot can never have. Be it your career or personality, you will always have that edge over others.

I hope this information helps. Take a wise decision, Good Luck!!