Interpreter

Listening to a speaker and speaking the same message in another language almost at once (simultaneous), or after the speaker pauses (consecutive). The settings are conferences, Parliament, government and diplomatic meetings, courts, business talks and events. Much of the job is preparing: reading briefing papers and building word lists before each assignment.

A day in the work
Before a conference, you read the agenda and speaker notes the night before and make a small glossary of technical words. At the venue you check the sound in the booth and sit with a partner. You interpret in turns, because this work is very tiring for the mind. In the break you swap notes with your partner, and in the evening you update your word list for tomorrow. In Parliament's Simultaneous Interpretation Service, the official ad says duty can run before or beyond normal hours, and even on weekends and holidays.

1. Step 1 · Class 7–10Build the base: read widely in English and in your own language, and practise speaking clearly. Interpreting needs a rich vocabulary in both languages. It is also fine to start a third language now, if your school offers one.
2. Step 2 · Class 11–12Any stream works. Arts students may find language, history and civics useful. Keep your marks healthy, because language universities admit through entrance scores.
3. Step 3 · Class 12 entranceFor JNU's BA (Hons) in a foreign language (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Persian, Pashto, Russian, Spanish), appear for CUET (UG) with the English Test and the General Aptitude Test. JNU said in its 2026-27 prospectus that candidates who skip either paper will not be considered.
4. Step 4 · 3 yearsBA (Hons) in your chosen language. You learn the language from scratch or build on what you know, plus culture and literature. Some centres run a 5-year integrated BA+MA, where students may take a BA (Hons) after the third year (Spanish at JNU).
5. Step 5 · 2 yearsMA in the language, choosing a translation/interpretation specialisation where offered. JNU's French MA includes Consecutive Interpretation and Simultaneous Interpretation courses, and its German centre offers a separate Translation/Interpretation MA. JNU said MA admission for 2026-27 is through CUET (PG) 2026.
6. Step 6 · After the MAPractise and build experience. Start with small events, escort or liaison work and short assignments. The Lok Sabha's own rules list experience in translation or interpretation as desirable. Add a diploma or certificate in interpretation if you want more practice in the booth.
7. Step 7 · Government route (optional)Parliament recruits Parliamentary Interpreters at Level 10 (₹56,100–1,77,500, 2023 advertisement) through an oration test, written test, simultaneous interpretation test and interview. The Ministry of External Affairs has also run a Specialised Interpreters programme (2019). Posts are few and irregular.

• Freelance or agency interpreter (private)Who: People with a foreign-language BA/MA who want conference, business or event work. BA and MA in a language, interpretation courses, then assignments through agencies, event companies and direct clients. Income depends on how often you are booked.
• Parliament (Lok Sabha Secretariat)Who: People with a master's degree and strong English plus Hindi or an Indian language. Recruitment is for Parliamentary Interpreters (a regular post) and Consultant Interpreters (contract/panel). Both are tested on speaking and live interpreting. This route is about Indian languages, not foreign ones.
• Ministry of External AffairsWho: Graduates with a foreign language and strong Hindi and English. The 2019 Atal Bhashantar Yojana trained selected candidates abroad at government cost, and they then served as Specialised Interpreters for five years. Other MEA interpreter posts have been advertised on deputation, so they may be open only to existing government staff.

Fees from: JNU e-Prospectus 2026-27, UG and COP programmes (fee table) · MEA, Atal Bhashantar Yojana notice (2019). Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Earnings swing a lot: freelancers are paid per day or per assignment and can have busy and empty weeks, while the rare permanent government posts give a steady scale; rates also depend on your language pair, your experience, the city and the client.

EFLU's 2025-26 PG diploma prospectus asks for 50% marks, instead of 55%, from SC, ST, non-creamy-layer OBC and differently-abled applicants. Parliament's interpreter advertisements say they follow reservation (SC, OBC, EWS) in recruitment, so read the latest advertisement for category rules.

• Class 7–9Try shadowing: play a short English or Hindi news clip, pause every sentence, and say the meaning aloud in another language you know. Do this for ten minutes, three times a week, and note which words you were missing.
• Class 10–12If you are 15 or older, register on MY Bharat and look for volunteering at local events. Language helpers are often useful when visitors come. Also look for a free beginner language course on SWAYAM.Open link ↗
• College or afterRead how Parliament tests interpreters (oration, written and simultaneous interpretation) on the Lok Sabha recruitment page, then practise the same way with a friend, with a timer.Open link ↗

• We did not find one national licence or registration for private interpreters in India. Clients mostly look at your training, languages and track record.
• Parliament's 2023 round had a minimum of 50% in each part of the oration and simultaneous interpretation tests. Passing the written test alone is not enough. Marks in the oration test decide who goes further.
• MEA's Interpreters' Cadre is small. In 2018 the Union Cabinet approved two joint-secretary-level posts in it (reported in Business Standard). Do not plan your whole career around a few government posts.
• Prefer writing to speaking? Look at the translator career. For sign languages, look at sign-language-interpreter.