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Studies & Degrees in Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies (in Universities)

Modern Indian languages and literary studies is the university study of the living languages of India and of the literature written in them. The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists 22 languages, among them Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. Each has its own literary tradition, and many have their own script. A programme in this field usually combines advanced study of one language with the comparative study of Indian literature as a whole.

Students read fiction, poetry, drama and criticism in the original language, follow the history of that literature, and learn to compare texts written in different languages. Translation, folklore and oral traditions are common areas of specialisation. This page covers the modern languages as a group. Sanskrit, Punjabi and Urdu have their own subject pages, because universities often teach them in separate departments.

Qualifications and levels

Study options run from part-time language courses to a doctorate. The Department of Indian Languages and Literary Studies of the University of Delhi shows the usual range. It was established in 1961 as the Department of Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies and offers:

  • master's programmes (M.A.) in Bengali, in Comparative Indian Literature and in Tamil
  • Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses in 11 Indian languages
  • research programmes in Comparative Indian Literature, Folklore, and Indian Languages and Literature

The department names three focus areas for its research: Comparative Indian Literature, Translation Studies, and Indian Folklore and Tribal lore. Its M.A. syllabi are published in a version that follows India's National Education Policy 2020 (NEP-2020).

The certificate and diploma courses are the natural starting point for students who do not yet know the language. An M.A. is taught at a much higher level, so applicants should ask the department which language level and which first degree it expects. Larger languages sometimes leave the shared department: at the University of Delhi, Punjabi became a department of its own in 1985.

Students who plan to continue their studies in Europe should also ask how the credits and grades of an Indian programme are documented, because recognition abroad depends on that paperwork.

Where to study it

Our directory currently lists one active school for this subject, the University of Delhi in Delhi, India. The university's Foreign Students' Registry reports 90 colleges, 16 faculties, 87 departments and around 720,000 students, counting both regular and distance learning. It describes English as the most common medium of instruction at the university. In a language department, the literature itself is read in the language studied.

Admission depends on the programme and on the applicant:

  • For 2026-27, candidates for the university's two-year postgraduate programmes must apply through CUET (PG), an entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
  • Foreign nationals apply through the Foreign Students' Registry, which the university describes as the single window for all foreign applicants.
  • The department publishes its own admission notices for the Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses.

Outside India, modern Indian languages are usually taught inside South Asian studies departments, often together with history, religion and politics of the region.

Careers

Graduates work in translation, publishing, teaching, journalism, research and cultural institutions. Literary translation between Indian languages is an organised field. The Sahitya Akademi, India's National Academy of Letters, works in 24 languages: the 22 named in the Constitution plus English and Rajasthani. Each year it gives 24 awards for literary works and an equal number for literary translations.

Official employment statistics for this field are easier to find for the United States than for India. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, interpreters and translators typically need at least a bachelor's degree, and employment in the occupation is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations. Students who want an academic career should plan for a doctorate.

Frequently asked questions

Which languages count as modern Indian languages?

There is no single list, but the 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution are the usual reference. They include Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu. A university department teaches only some of them, so check its course list.

Do I need to know an Indian language before I start?

Not for a beginner's course. The University of Delhi, for example, offers Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses in 11 Indian languages. For an M.A., ask the department which language level it requires.

How do international students apply to the University of Delhi?

Foreign nationals apply through the university's Foreign Students' Registry, which handles admission to all its courses. Deadlines change every year, so check the registry's website before applying.

What can I do with a degree in Indian languages and literature?

Typical paths are translation, publishing, teaching, media and research. Combining the language with a second skill, such as editing, law or a technical subject, widens the options.