Foreign Languages Business in India

With a number of students, working professionals and business executives keen on learning foreign languages, the demand for training institutes is on the rise.

Different states in India have different languages. But English has precedence because of its international appeal and its use as the language of business. However, globalization has also opened doors for new languages. Due to historic and cultural reasons, we have always been exposed to English, French, Spanish, Persian, Turkish and Arabic. Indians had particular interest in German due to its linguistic closeness to Sanskrit. During the 1930s, the golden period of modern physics, the Indian scientific community was attracted to German because most discoveries were being compiled in that language.

A number of languages are now driving the interest in foreign languages. Apart from government universities, embassy schools and institutes promoted by individual countries, there is a growing demand of language schools that can impart quality training and proficiency. In this article, we try to focus our discussion on the needs, market and system of foreign language schools.

Need for learning Foreign Languages
According to Purnima Garg, Director of The Chinese Language Institute, Delhi, the economies of the world are integrating, which has increased leisure and business travel. This increased need demands the learning of foreign languages. Rachna Aggarwal, a Japanese interpreter, says tour operators have a specific demand for professionals who can cater to the needs of visitors coming from non-English countries, especially from Japan, China, and other East Asian countries.

Apart from European languages, there has been a major shift towards East Asian languages in the last five to ten years.
- Purnima Garg
Director, The Chinese
Language Institute (CLI)

Pushpa Sharma, Director-PR of Instituto Hispania, mentions that learning foreign language increases chances of getting admission to foreign universities, helps in making travel more feasible, in gaining a broad outlook of international culture and music, and sharpens cognitive skills.

Translation, interpretation, teaching opportunities, and demand in BPO/KPO and IT industry are some areas where the need of foreign languages is tremendous.

Vaishali Karmarkar, head of marketing, intercultural and corporate courses trainer in Goethe Institute Mumbai, says that companies approach her from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein to provide them professionals who are apt in German. The academic background is not considered because these companies are open to provide training and fit these professionals in some jobs.

Compiling the inputs from these people, it is clear that the demand of foreign languages is growing and setting up a foreign language school could be a good idea.

Market for language schools
European languages like Spanish, French and German top the list with the Indian crowd. At the same time, East Asian languages like Mandarin-Chinese, Japanese and Korean are also picking up fast. Talking about Middle East and its importance to the business world, Arabic language finds a good number of prospective students and professionals.

Students, professionals, corporate houses, and professional degree-colleges seek services of foreign language schools on a regular and project basis. Pushpa Sharma says that their institute has worked with Infosys, Wipro and professional colleges like IMT, Ghaziabad.

Purnima Garg says that the market for foreign languages is huge with ever-increasing trade and a boom in the travel industry. Young aspiring job seekers, hotel & tourism industry employees and executives involved in foreign businesses are direct market points.

Setting up a foreign language school
The process involved in setting up a foreign language school is based on the scale an entrepreneur wants to achieve. On a very small scale, teaching one foreign language can be started with one-two rented rooms involving a cost of around Rs 1 lakh. However, if somebody wants to do it on a larger scale and impart multiple languages, more infrastructure, equipments, human resources, marketing methods, and certifications would be needed.

Popular foreign languages
1. Spanish 2. German
3. French 4. Arabic
5. Chinese 6. Japanese
7. Korean 8. Italian

Apart from rooms and seating arrangement, IT tools, audio-visual equipment, the need of a good trainer/teacher is important. Interestingly, when talking to people involved in this business, two different views came out. One that native Indian teachers who have achieved foreign language proficiency connect better with the students; and another that students prefer teaching faculty to be native speakers of the taught language. The analysis results in a way out—it is better to have native Indian teachers for basic learning courses in foreign languages because students feel comfortable to ask questions in their native languages. As the level of understanding and proficiency progresses, it is better to have native teachers of the taught language.

Language schools offer regular and customized courses. However, the industry players mentioned that they prefer a course to last for eight weeks per level. To achieve employability, six such levels should be gone through.

On a general basis, courses are divided into beginner, elementary, intermediate and advance categories. To impart these courses various types of activities are involved. Reading, writing, listening, and speaking drills; role plays; karoake singing; festival celebrations to give a more cultural feel; word games and dialogue writing etc. are involved. For beginners, self-learning CDs for correcting the pronunciation are also used.

For Chinese, Purnima Garg says that there are two ways to impart training—the English alphabet and pictorial. She mentioned that the pictorial method is a bit difficult for students to pick up, and they prefer to learn through the English alphabet.

To ensure employability and to cater to professional needs, stress on pronunciation, inter-cultural knowledge, listening comprehension, and grammar is given.

Challenges
As such, there are no huge challenges faced in starting a foreign language scale. Because the demand is increasing, there is a good chance of making good business.

However, there are small issues that one should take care of. Vaishali Karmarkar explains that Indian students have a different learning biology. Students are often trained in passing an examination and not thinking on their own while learning a subject. So, an institute should make sure that they evolve activities that open up the minds of students; otherwise, the proficiency of language is not achieved and the employability appeal of students does not come out, which actually mars the popularity of a language school.
Pushpa Sharma, Director – PR, Instituto Hispania

What is the need of foreign languages?
Foreign languages are finding good demand to increase global understanding, native language ability, to sharpen cognitive and life skills, improve chances of entry into college or graduate school, appreciate international literature, music and film, and make travel more feasible and enjoyable.

What are the challenges faced?
Awareness among the masses is the most important part of the job to be done and to run a language school. Newspaper ads, articles in popular magazines related to education and business directories to spread information and the importance of learning language are needed. Next, the need of native language trainers is also an important issue.

What is the scope of expansion?
Awareness is the most important part for expansion, although our institute has six centers across the country, and to expand operations in multiple cities, funding is the most important issue. Then comes the faculty part: we need to have the best teachers.

At the same time, getting native teachers of taught language can become difficult sometimes because they usually come to India for shorter periods of time. Retaining Indian teachers is also a challenge because they find bigger perks as translators/interpreters or in the tourism industry.

Marketing issues and awareness among the masses are some other areas where a school will need to work on.

Scope of expansion and collaboration
The trend of expansion in the form of franchisees and opening branches in smaller towns is not popular yet with the foreign language schools. The main reason for this is the scale that a school wants to achieve. However, there are many foreign language schools supported by cultural wings of different countries and embassies that have branches in major cities of India.

Some individuals running foreign language schools believe that the quality of the training could suffer if they go for expansion. So, keeping it small but high quality is their motto. Getting good quality teachers is another major issue that hinders the expansion of language schools.

At the same time, collaborating with a certified body or foreign institute is believed to be a good option because it increases the credibility of the school and also open more opportunities for the students getting that certificate.

6 Challenges

6 challenges:

1. GET OUT AND EXPLORE: Extracurricular activities are not a waste of time. The best leaders are interesting people. They pursue passions. They love art. They experience unforgettable travel. And they engage in conversations with fascinating people. This allows them to stay inspired. And hungry. And offers them a steady stream of ideas that actually makes their businesses more successful.

2. LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE WITH THE DIRTIEST HANDS: Want to know what your customers love – and can’t stand – about your business? Listen to the people on the front line. The grocery clerk hears exactly what’s being said about the products on the shelves. The person answering the phone knows what people are most dissatisfied with. The technician gets exactly what needs to be fixed for the brand to grow. Learn to listen to the people who are closest to your customers.

The data they carry is priceless.

3. YOU ARE PAID NOT ONLY TO WORK. YOU ARE PAID TO BE SCARED: It’s easy to do what you do every day until it becomes second nature. But what leadership’s truly about is having the courage to out-think + out-perform who you were yesterday. And that’s scary. Because you need to consistently do what’s uncomfortable. But all growth lies on the outer edges of your comfort zone. Commit to not just doing your work but accepting the challenges that frighten you.

4. HEALTH IS YOUR WEALTH: These were peak-performing CEOs leading 24/7 careers. There was utter silence in the room when I shared this statement: “Health is the crown on the well man’s head that only the ill person can see”. Why be the richest person in the graveyard? And what’s the point of getting to the mountaintop but reaching it sick? Get serious about becoming superfit. Then watch the caliber of your work and the quality of your life fly.

5. FAMILY FIRST: With children, we have a little window of opportunity. And once it closes, it’s very hard to open it up again. Having a strong family foundation of deep relationships with those you love makes you a more effective businessperson. And who wants to get to the end of your career and realize you’re all alone?

6. BE VALUABLE: Business, to me, is nothing more than a breathtakingly great vehicle to deliver unusual value to as many people as possible. Want to double your sales? Then double the value you bring to your customers. And the whole game of life’s about much of the same thing: contribution. Being of value. Making a difference. No one on their deathbed wished they had made more money. Most of us do wish we have had a greater impact. As a seminar participant in Qatar shared with me: “The measure of the greatness of a person is the length their shadow casts on the future.”

Why do I share the 6 challenges with you? Because you are the CEO of your own career and the Leader of your own life. I encourage – and challenge – you to reflect on these ideas and then to act on them with speed. There’s never been a bigger need for leaders in our organizations and within our world. And whether you have a title or not, that need applies to you.

Keep Leading Without a Title,

Foresight

“There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
- Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”
- Thomas Watson (1874-1956), Chairman of IBM, in 1943

“The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C’, the idea must be feasible.”
- A Yale University management professor, in response to student Fred Smith’s paper proposing reliable overnight delivery service (Smith went on to found Federal Express)

“640K ought to be enough for anybody.”
- Bill Gates (1955-), in 1981

“This antitrust thing will blow over.”
- Bill Gates (1955-), on July 11, 1995

“We don’t like their sound, and guitar music is on the way out.”
- Decca Recording Company, rejecting the Beatles, in 1962

“Who the hell wants to hear actors talk?”
- Harry Morris Warner (1881-1958), co-founder of Warner Brothers, in 1927

Avoiding the Inadvertent Email Insult

There are many ways whereby you may be insulting your readers without using any specifically offensive words. Here are some of the major points.

He / She / He/She???
The English language was crafted during a time when it was assumed by both writers and readers that any generic or unspecified gender would automatically default to male. As recently as the 1970s, it was acceptable for discussions of everything from deities to children to be a “him.” As our society has developed a more enlightened consideration for gender, the language has unfortunately not kept up with the times. Thus it is difficult to specify generic gender, as in the case of: “When administering the medicine to your child, hold (his / her / his/her) hand.” His/her is cumbersome, and the use of either gender can be deemed discriminatory. The only remotely suitable workaround is to phrase the content in the plural: “When administering the medicine to your children, hold their hands.” It’s ugly and awkward, but there are no currently available suitable alternatives.

Keep Language Positive
Negative language must be avoided in all of your email marketing content. You especially have to be extremely careful about wording reminders so that they do not sound accusatory. Reminding a customer that they did not renew their subscription should never use terms such as “you neglected to” or “you failed to,” as well as any reference to “your lack of response.” It is much more acceptable to phrase these reminders in the form of a question, such as “did you receive our reminder notice that your subscription is about to lapse?”

Leave the Pontification to the Pontiff
It is easy to cross the line into pontification when instructing or educating your audience. Using terms such as “you must,” “you have to,” or “do this” implies that you are commanding rather than informing. That is an approach that is diametrically opposed to the preferable tactic. An email marketing campaign is no place for preaching, moralizing, lecturing or catechizing. Consider your readers as your peers and share information that you believe will be of interest without talking down to them. Shun overly technical or detailed data, but summarize your content in a simple, easy-to-grasp manner that portrays the respect you must have for your audience.

Watch the Humor
Email campaigns that are lightened by a fun sense of comedy can significantly outperform the dull and straight-laced, but it is very easy for satire to be taken the wrong way by some readers. Self-deprecating humor is also a double-edged sword: Some customers will interpret the attempt at self-zinging humor as a confession of your brand’s incompetence. Under no circumstance should any national group or profession be singled out in your humor: Any of the old chestnuts about “a lawyer, a doctor, and a priest are shipwrecked on a desert island” or “a Russian, a German, and an Italian walk into a bar” should be left for Improv Night.

Even an extremely minor aspect, such as the position of a hyphen, can change the meaning of a sentence to one that can be seen as offensive. A “small-business owner” is the proprietor of a small business, but a “small business-owner” is a proprietor who is shorter than average. Today more than ever it is imperative to go through each and every one of your email marketing messages with a fine-toothed comb to ensure that no aspect of the content could possibly offend or insult any one of its readers.

Happy e-mailing

Top Most Lies of Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs lie to catch business! We know that – here are the top most lies of entrepreneurs.

1# Our projections are conservative. An entrepreneur’s projections are never conservative.

2# (Big name research firm) says our market will be $50 billion in 2010.

3# (Big name company) is going to sign our purchase order next week.

4# Key employees are set to join us as soon as we get funded.

5# No one is doing what we’re doing.

6# No one can do what we can do.

7# Hurry because several other venture capital firms are interested.

8# Oracle is too big/dumb/slow to be a threat.

9# We have a proven management team.

10# Patents make our product defensible.

11# All we have to do is get 1% of the market.

Who is afraid of China?

The Prime Minister drew more attention for what he said about disagreements in the Cabinet than what he said about China. On Cabinet disagreements, he was in a way right and such quarrels were not unknown in Jawaharlal Nehru’s time. But once Sardar Patel died, Nehru had no one powerful enough to differ with him in the Cabinet. More was the pity since that is why he got the China policy so wrong.

Indira Gandhi split the party to settle scores with Morarji Desai. But once he went, she had no further Cabinet dissensions. She too could have used some Cabinet dissension rather than stumble into Emergency. There is a role for Cabinet dissension if it is driven by genuine ideological differences but not if it is just a faction fight.

Yet, the more significant observation was about China’s intentions in South Asia. For Manmohan Singh to be so explicit China must have breached some limits — I suspect it is the news that China is building a roadway in Gilgit and Baltistan which will let it get its trucks all the way down to Karachi and the sea. The Great Game is alive again. In the 19th century, it was Russia looking for a salt water port. Now it is China and China seems to be winning the Great Game.

It is good that India is now taking China’s activities seriously and thinking aloud as to what it means. One wishes for co-operation with China and much mutual benefit from trade. But the truth remains that India and China share a large uneasy border. China has never given up its claim to large chunks of territory which is on India’s side. It believes that the border was fixed by British Imperialists while China was weak. Now that China is strong again and aspiring to be Middle Kingdom once more, China wants its old territory back.

The serious threat from China is multidimensional. It is systematically destroying the Business, the relation with neighbors and the support to some Indian political groups.

1.Business
Many Indian companies involving illegal imports from China in the name of different names and dumping in India and kill the Indian companies. The imports are taking through sea and through Nepal. Many corrupt officials take money and allow this business. The trade balance is very high and the situation is that India cannot survive with out import from China. Most of the business houses, officials and political parties continue this and destroying the Indian business and the country.

2. Neighbors
China has systematically destroyed the political system of Nepal and controls the administration by funding Maoists and the communists. Communists are very dangerous elements against the safety of our country. Still in Nepal some people afraid to completely align because, they do not want to lose the democratic power. But soon Nepal will be the part and parcel of China. The direct contact roads constructed between Tibet -China and Nepal help it to illegally send everything to India including container loads of products to destroy Indian business.

The political ambition of China has got success in Sri Lanka. They were brought in by Rajpakshe and Indian political system encouraged the Sri Lankan government to destroy the Tamil people with the blessing of Congress, AIADMAK, DMK and other polotical parties. Now China reules Sri Lanka and India drained its resouces to Sri Lanka in the name of rehabilitations of war displaced Tamils. No Indian living in North, West and East never raised voice in support of the poor Tamils.
The continuous support of China to Pakistan helped the terrorists to regroup and attack India. The fuel was added by BJP in the name of Hinduvata and the situation is soon India will lose Kasmir and India has to beg for water in River Ganga and Pramabutra. Even Ram cannot help India at this situation.

In the eastern part, China has upper hand with the Indian supporting communists and maosits. They get money for their political survive and silently helping China to invade India through Arunachal border.

All the four directions are under threat and India has to overcome the challenges under the situation where all the political parties, officals, business group are directly are indirectly victim to their greedy acts which are direcly useful to the ambition of China.

We, poor Indians silently watch this situation and are helpless. Their is no Mahatma, there is no Sardar, ther is no Chandra Bhose, only criminals, greedy, non patriotic group are available.
Mr.Manmohan Singh needs encouragement. He should increase the defence expenses and make quickly all types of missiles and make proper roads at the border and crush the terror groups. Maoists should be quickly eliminated. Neapl border should have honest officers to control entry of goods illegally. Sri Lanka should be isolated on human rights violation with the active support from Europe and encourage Tamil fisherman to fight the Sri Lankan groups.

Try and control the trade imbalnce with China and stop too much imports from China. Indentify the corrupt officials and remove in a planned manner.

Work now and try the best to meet the challenges.

Market News

Academy of Applied Languages – a foreign language school set up with guidance and support from JNU professors and headquartered in the millennium city of Gurgaon has decided to venture into franchising as a means for expanding their network and bringing high quality language education to the masses.

Pankaj Agrawal, the co-founder of AAL has claimed that the company is geared to set up 300 centers in India and 50 in other countries within the next 3 years. The company has put aside Rupees 350 Million over the next 3 years to develop and grow the Language education business in India and overseas.

Language Education in India

Language education in our country is growing beyond its own borders as many people from Brazil, Colombia, Korea, Japan and even European countries prefer to learn English or Hindi from teachers in India.

This is apparently because of the fact that English teaching in India is perceived to be of much better quality and cost effective than in other countries.

Hindi on the other hand is obviously our native language and we have several foreigners wanting to learn Hindi from native speakers while they are here on business or any other form of long stay.

This trend is clearly reflected by the increasing number of students of foreign origin in universities like JNU and DU as well as in private institutions like the Academy of Applied Languages – a Foreign Language institute headquartered in Gurgaon.

The demand for other languages like Spanish, German and French is also growing at a fast pace with many Indians wanting to learn languages and interact with foreign clients, colleagues or peers. This is a relatively untapped market in India where our options are restricted to the institutes run by foreign embassies like the Alliance Francaise for French or Goethe Institut for German. For the first time in India, private institutes like the Academy of Applied Languages are venturing into this domain by offering Language courses for individuals and corporates aligned to international standards and following standard European guidelines.

English in India

At the grass root level, English is looked upon as the language for upwards socio- economic mobility. This includes rural and urban population. Out of school English tutorials have mushroomed across the length and breath of India.

However the quality of faculty and content remains extremely substandard in these institutes. Therefore a perfectly legitimate market need for quality language education remains under provided, under fulfilled and deprived.

This, ladies and gentlemen is our raison d’etre. We remain always on the look out for funky ideas and suggestions from friends, so please feel free.

Okhil Babu’s letter to the Railways (early 1900′s – Imagine a Bangla accent)

“I am arrive by passenger train Ahmedpur station and my belly is too much swelling with jackfruit. I am therefore went to privy. Just I doing the nuisance that guard making whistle blow for train to go off and I am running with ‘lotah’ in one hand and ‘dhoti’ in the next when I am fall over and expose all my shocking to man and female women on plateform. I am got leaved at Ahmedpur station. This too much bad, if passenger go to make dung that dam guard not wait train five minutes for him. I am therefore pray your honour to make big fine on that guard for public sake. Otherwise I am making big report to papers.”

Okhil Chandra Sen wrote this letter to the Sahibganj divisional railway office in 1909. It is on display at the Rai lway Museum in New Delhi. It was also reproduced under
the caption “Travellers’ Tales” in the Far Eastern Economic Review. Any guesses why this letter is of historic value?

It led to the introduction of TOILETS in trains!!!!!!!!!