Teaching English in India
Teaching English in India
Requirements
Bachelor’s Degree: Not required
Monthly Salary: $150 to 1,000 USD
Peak Hiring: All year round
Visa Information: Tourist and work visa
Housing: Not compensated
Airfare: Not reimbursed
Student Types: Business English and children
At a Glance
With its dynamic and growing economy, India is a top destination for English language teachers. English is the most commonly spoken second language in India, and the demand for native speakers to teach it is increasing. This guide will help you get started on your journey toward becoming an ESL teacher in India.
Overview
Teaching English in India isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s one of the most challenging places to live abroad. It’s chaotic, unorganized, and a total assault on the senses. India is recommended for experienced TEFLers. It’s no cakewalk and is best to visit to see if you like it beforehand. Because the reality is that some people enjoy teaching here, or don’t like it all.
New Delhi is a very tough city to live in. You’ll get followed and asked for money all the time. Also, it’s the most polluted city in the world. Cultural repression, extreme poverty, and sexual frustration are serious issues in India. I am not going to sugarcoat it. India is wild, hectic, and disorderly.
Finding paid teaching jobs in India is tough because English is a common language there. Many upper-class Indians will speak it as their first language. These are the ones who teach it fluently. There is little demand for paying foreign teachers because India already has a large native population that is skilled and competent at teaching English.
English Language Schools in India
There isn’t the same demand to import native English speakers to India as there is in China, South Korea, and Japan. This means you’re not going to find language schools commonly found in countries thriving in learning English. But there are still some job opportunities in India for English language teachers.
Salary
You could probably get a job anywhere in India, but you can’t expect any kind of decent pay. You probably will get what the locals get, which won’t be enough to live on. If you want to travel around the country, then teaching English might be a good way to establish a home base.
As mentioned, there is little demand for paying foreign teachers because India already has a large native population that is skilled and competent at teaching English. This is why the average monthly salary is in the range of $150-1,000 USD.
Otherwise, there are volunteer opportunities for teaching English in India. These types of programs offer a basic living allowance and accommodation. They are usually one of the safest ways to travel to India and you’re doing a good deed.
| Monthly Salary | Total |
|---|---|
| US Dollars (USD) | 500 to 1,000 USD |
| Indian Rupee (INR) | 11,000 to 75,000 INR |
Certification
In India, English is considered to be the language of opportunities. Apart from being an indispensable medium of communication and a passport to climb the social ladder, speaking English fluently also opens up opportunities for higher education and better job prospects. As a result, many Indians are eager to learn this language—and tens of thousands of them are doing exactly that by signing up for various English-teaching programs in India.
If you are someone who loves to travel and explore new cultures, teaching English as a foreign language could be the perfect job for you. India is home to a diverse range of native speakers of English, who can help you develop your learning in an authentic setting. Teaching English in India offers you the opportunity to immerse yourself in a different culture, meet new people, and develop personally and professionally. These TEFL certification courses can help you get started teaching English in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
India is one of the lowest paying countries for teaching English. The average monthly salary is in the range of $150-1,000 USD or is volunteer work.
Cultural repression, extreme poverty, sexual frustration, begging on the streets, littering/pollution, unorganized, absence of law-abiding are some of the common things that foreign teachers have to cope with in India.
English is already widely spoken. Finding paid teaching jobs in India is tough because many upper-class Indians can teach it at a fluent level.
If you’re a female, it’s unsafe to travel in India alone. We can’t recommend females to travel or teach English alone in India. Any travelers in India should take as many precautions to ensure they are safe during their visit.
Yes, you need a degree to teach English in India.