The ISC and CBSE Plus Two results are out; the state board results are awaited. Colleges have started to issue forms. While you wait to take your pick of subjects you want to specialise in, it makes sense to learn a language or two — not by way of a hobby but to bolster your career choice.

Here are some tips from experts on what languages go best with what subject combination.

Sciences 

If you are planning to take up engineering, you should consider pursuing a course in German. Germany, after all, offers a bouquet of courses for engineering students — automobile, electrical, mechanical and industrial. The Goethe-Institut or Max Mueller Bhavan offers a range of courses with some summer specials thrown in. There are specialised courses for small groups and individuals. There are also online courses on offer, which — according to the institute website —  allow you to adapt your learning flexibly to your schedule and does not require you to be in any particular place.

According to Abhijit Chakrabarti, who teaches Biophysics at Calcutta’s Meghnad Saha Institute of Technology, it would be opportune to learn Mandarin. He says, “China is expanding and they are coming up with scholarships for higher studies, especially in medicine and engineering. They have the money to hire experts and you should not lose the opportunity.”
Kalyan Kar, co-founder of InQube Innoventure and a start-up expert, says, three decades ago one could make do with a smattering of German and French, but with globalisation and boom in the IT sector, along with Mandarin, Spanish is a wise choice.

Humanities

For students of the humanities, the choices are not as obvious and will vary with personal interest as well choice of subject. But the thing to keep in mind is that knowledge of a suitable foreign language can open up research vistas and improve your chances of getting scholarships.

Chandana Guha Sarkar, principal, School of Languages of the Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, says, “For students of literature or the fine arts, French and Italian are the two languages to learn. Those keen on Spanish literature would do well to learn the language.” 

Fabrice Plançon of Alliance Francaise recommends the crash course that they offer to beginners. “It is a two-month course that a person can take up. One has to complete a total of 120 hours of classes held throughout the week. Each class is of three hours’ duration,” says he. Spanish teacher Jagannath Majumder, of Cervantes, tells us about a six-month crash course and a three-year course.

At the Ramakrishna Mission, they also teach Arabic, Persian, ancient Greek and Latin. Says Sarkar, “Most of those who sign up for these are research scholars or retired professors who want to read the original manuscripts or do language studies.” 

For trade and commerce, Spanish is of great help as is Portuguese. “India and Brazil have sound business relations,” says Sarkar.

Others

But oftentimes the language need not be an addendum. Thorough knowledge of a language can help you get a job as a translator. “If you take an advanced course of three years of French, German, Spanish or Mandarin, you would be able to translate. And for that you need not be a graduate either,” says Sarkar.

For instance, someone aspiring to work for the United Nations needs to have an excellent command of either English or French. Knowledge of an additional language is an asset.

But all said and done, as Chakrabarti points out, English still remains the most useful language to know. And before you step into professional life, it would be advisable to brush up your written and spoken communication skills in the language.