Indian Sign Language Interpreter

Interpreting between Indian Sign Language and spoken or written language (Hindi, English, regional languages) for Deaf people. The settings are classrooms, courtrooms, hospitals, offices, meetings, public events and TV news. You prepare in advance, research difficult topics and follow a code of confidentiality.

A day in the work
You might start in a college classroom, signing a lecture to a Deaf student and voicing what they sign back. After lunch you may go to a hospital to help a Deaf patient talk to a doctor, so you must stay accurate and keep everything private. Before each job you read about the topic, such as a law case or a medical term, and agree on signs. By evening your hands and mind are tired, so you rest or swap with another interpreter.

1. Step 1 · Class 7–11Meet Deaf people and learn basic ISL signs and finger-spelling. Pick any stream, but keep your language skills strong. Interpreters switch between two languages all day, and you need at least 50% in Class 12.
2. Step 2 · Class 12Pass Class 12 with at least 50%. Watch the RCI and institute notices for DISLI admission. ISLRTC says it has been making a merit list from Class 12 marks. Then you go for document counselling, and you can pay the fee only after that. (reported — check with the official body)
3. Step 3 · 2 yearsDo the DISLI at an RCI-approved institute. It runs over four semesters, with 8 courses (4 theory, 4 practical). You need at least 75% attendance. Classes are Monday to Friday, with school visits, community events and an internship.
4. Step 4 · End of the diplomaPass with at least 50% in theory and 70% in practical, in both internal and external exams. The practical bar is higher because interpreting is a skill that must be reliable.
5. Step 5Get your RCI registration as an Indian Sign Language Interpreter. The diploma alone is not enough to work in the rehabilitation field.
6. Step 6 · First jobsLook for work with schools, NGOs, hospitals, courts, government events, TV channels and agencies that ISLRTC or other bodies empanel. ISLRTC's own notices ask for a Level A/B/C certificate or DISLI from an RCI-approved institute. Keep taking RCI-approved short programmes to renew your registration.
7. OptionalAdd a degree, a B.Ed in Special Education (HI), or higher study in sign linguistics or interpreting. Some ISLRTC faculty posts ask for these.

• Main route: DISLI after Class 12Who: Hearing students who want to interpret Class 12 with 50%, then the 2-year Diploma in Indian Sign Language Interpretation at an RCI-approved institute, then RCI registration.
• Older certificate route: ISL Level A, B, CWho: People already working or volunteering with Deaf communities ISLRTC notices still accept an ISL A/B/C Level certificate or DISLI as proof for interpreter work. The diploma is now the main recognised course.
• Special education route: B.Ed in Special Education (HI)Who: Graduates who want to teach Deaf children and use ISL in class A 2-year B.Ed after a degree with about 50%. This makes you a special educator, not an interpreter. Some people take it alongside or after DISLI.
• For Deaf students: DTISLWho: Deaf students who want to work with ISL The Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language is only for Deaf candidates. It trains them to teach ISL, including to interpreters. Interpreting itself is done by hearing people who do DISLI.

Fees from: ISLRTC – FAQ (fee structure and stipend) · CRC Guwahati – DISLI notification 2025–26 · PDUNIPPD – DISLI page · MDU Rohtak Prospectus 2024-25 (DTISL/DISLI) · NISH DISLI page (course fee, undated) · NISH DISLI prospectus 2023-24 (PDF) · NBER Online Admission 2026 addendum (RCI diploma courses) · NIEPMD admission 2026-27 page. Fees change every year — check the college's own fee page before you pay.

Most interpreting work is on contract, per event or per assignment, so income is modest at the start and uneven. It tends to be better in big cities and for skilled interpreters in courts, media and government events.

DISLI asks for normal hearing and functional hands, so Deaf students cannot take it. They can take DTISL to teach ISL. Reservation and relaxation for SC, ST, OBC and PwD candidates follow Central or State rules. Girls and boys are treated the same, and women also work as interpreters.

• Class 7–9Ask your school or a local Deaf association if you can attend a Deaf awareness session. Learn the finger-spelling alphabet and 20 basic signs, and practise with a friend.
• Class 10–12Read the DISLI eligibility rules (Class 12 with 50%, functional hands, normal hearing). Then list two or three RCI-approved institutes near you and note their seats and fees.Open link ↗
• College or afterVolunteer with a local Deaf school or NGO to practise ISL. Watch a trained interpreter at a public event and notice how they handle speed and names.

• A B.Ed in Special Education (Hearing Impairment) trains teachers. It is useful if you want to work in Deaf schools, but it is not the same as the interpreter diploma.
• Seats are few. The RCI curriculum plans 15 to 20 students a year per institute. ISLRTC lists 90 seats, and one regional centre lists 30. Check each institute's own notice for the current year.
• Courses and fees change by institute and year. Use only RCI-approved institutes. ISLRTC says no other training institutions are associated with or partnered with it.
• Interpreting is mentally tiring work. Many interpreters work in pairs and take breaks.