Better your English! Better your Paycheck!
By siliconindia   |   Saturday, 21 August 2010, 19:28 IST   |    2 Comments
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Better your English! Better your Paycheck!
Bangalore: English-language proficiency among Indian workers leads to higher hourly wage earnings. Men who speak fluent English earn, on average, 34 percent higher hourly wages than those who speak no English; even workers who speak a little English earn 13 percent higher hourly wages. The research conducted by Nishith Prakash, post-doctoral research associate at the Charles H Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell University found that quantifies for the first time in an Indian context, the returns to English-language skills. The findings have implications for language policy in a linguistically diverse country like India. He points out that knowing the returns to English would help individuals and policy makers make decisions about how much to invest in English skills. English-language proficiency leads to higher earnings but the study also found that the younger cohort does not receive a wage premium if their English language proficiency is not complemented by good education. It implies that it doesn't help younger people to enrol in crash courses on English learning of the sort offered in Indian cities for exorbitant fees. It's more rewarding for them to enrol in schools where they might acquire proficiency in English alongside a wholesome education.

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