100 Years Of Teaching German In India | 2025 Latest Data

The history of teaching German in India spans over 100 years, tracing its origins to the early 20th century. Here’s an overview of key moments and milestones:

Early Beginnings (1914-1940s)

1914: The first known instance of German being taught in India occurred at the University of Mumbai (Bombay), where it was introduced as part of the curriculum.
University Influence: The study of Germany expanded to other major universities like the University of Calcutta and Banaras Hindu University in the 1920s and 1930s. During this time, German scholars and Indian intellectuals fostered cross-cultural academic exchanges.

Post-Independence Expansion (1950s-1970s)

1957: The Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe-Institute) opened its first branch in Mumbai, India, marking a significant institutionalization of German language and cultural promotion. Named after German Indologist Max Müller, the institute played a crucial role in spreading the German language across the country.
Universities and Institutes: Major Indian universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and Delhi University established German departments and began offering full-fledged German language and literature courses.

Growth and Popularity (1980s-2000s)

Language as a Skill: By the 1980s and 1990s, German became increasingly popular as a foreign language, particularly due to the rise of engineering, technology, and science collaborations between Germany and India.
Secondary Schools: German began to be introduced as a foreign language in Indian secondary schools, alongside French and Spanish, as demand for language skills grew.
2000s: The rise of German companies investing in India, such as Siemens, Volkswagen, and Bosch, further fuelled the popularity of the language, as proficiency in German became a valuable asset for students and professionals.

Present Day

Widespread Availability: German is now widely taught in schools, universities, and established organizations like the Indian School of Languages, New Delhi. The Goethe Institute continues to play a central role in the promotion of German language learning, with branches in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, and Chennai.
Cultural Exchange: Numerous scholarships, exchange programs, and collaborations between Indian and German universities encourage students to learn German, especially for those aspiring to study or work in Germany.

Key Contributors to the Growth:

Max Mueller Bhavan (Goethe-Institute): Leading German cultural institution in India for promoting language learning.
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service): Facilitates academic exchanges and scholarships for Indian students to study in Germany.

The century-long history of teaching German in India reflects the increasing interconnections between the two countries in education, culture, and industry.

100 Years of Teaching German in INDIA:

It all started in the year 1914. The first German lessons in India were imparted in Pune and Mumbai. A hundred years later in 2014, most of the celebrations to mark the centenary also occurred in many cities across India. On the hundredth anniversary of teaching German in India, let us take a look at the history, progress achieved, and prospects for the language.

“The centenary of teaching German is a remarkable jubilee and an indicator of the sustainability of mutual interests, and indeed the fascination which India and Germany have long had for each other,” said Alicia Padrós from Goethe Institute, New Delhi.

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Home-comers from Germany

It is not a coincidence that the events mainly took place in Pune and Mumbai, for here were the origins of teaching German as the first German lessons ever in India were given here 100 years ago.

It all started in Pune with a home-comer from Germany: the linguist Pandurang D. Gune who returned to his homeland in 1913 after obtaining a doctorate from the University of Leipzig. In 1914, he started passing on his acquired knowledge and enthusiasm for the German language to the students of New English School in Pune, beginning with an 8th-grade student. A little later, he also started taking lessons at the prestigious Fergusson College, which like the New England School, belonged to the Deccan Education Society.

In addition to the Fergusson College, which in those days was affiliated with the University of Bombay, the classes began in Mumbai also in the year 1914, initially at St. Xavier’s College. The college had been founded by a German Jesuit in 1869, and in 1914 the first German lessons were also conducted by German Jesuits. German was offered as a part of the subject “modern European languages.” In 1918, the first three candidates successfully passed the German language exam.

In the 1930s, German was also introduced as an optional subject for students of Masters in Science. After the Second World War, under Professor R.V. Paranjape who taught from 1947 to 1974, German studies expanded significantly, and degrees in German language and literature were offered. In 1965, a German section was built in the then-newly established foreign language department. Since 2003, there has been an independent German department. Today, under the leadership of Prof. Vibha Surana, the department offers a complete range of academic degree programs.

Momentum in Pune

In Pune too, the study of German flourished progressively. In 1924, the Fergusson College introduced German language and literature as a major subject, and therefore, in addition to the study of the language, German literature and history were also being taught. Over the years, many other schools and colleges in Pune introduced German lessons, for example, S.P. College in 1939. The first graduate of German language and literature studies in Pune went to Kolhapur to teach German at Rajaram College. Even then, across most parts of India, German initially remained an exotic subject.

In the 1950s, the positive momentum gained further impetus. In 1953, the University introduced evening courses in German to attract working professionals in addition to college students. In 1955, the “Poona University German Association” was established as a society that cultivated interest in the German language and culture through lectures, seminars, exhibitions, and film screenings.

Next, in 1958, the University of Pune appointed two lecturers for German Language and Literature. Kurt Jankowsky and Heinz Schrader were the first deputed lectors of DAAD. In the 1960s, the first research work was documented. “From this time onwards, the German language continued to gain popularity,” remarks Savita Kelkar, who teaches German at Fergusson College. The records of post-graduate courses at the University of Pune confirm that the number of students pursuing Masters and Doctorate are continuously increasing since the introduction of these courses.

Presently, the University of Pune offers a whole series of various certificates and diplomas in German including “Commercial German” and “German Translation”. This also catered to the needs of various German firms that have established themselves in regions in and around Pune city.

“The German genius”

The organizers of the anniversary events explained that apart from the personal enthusiasm and dedication of individuals, there were also historical circumstances conducive to the establishment of German studies. When it came to foreign languages, German was a welcome change from the language of English colonial masters. Linguistically and culturally, one would learn more from Europe than what the British had brought along.

German was also a choice as many poets and philosophers such as Friedrich Schlegel, Hermann Hesse, Georg Forster, and foremost among them – Max Mueller had been engaged with India, with great respect or admiration. This strengthened the good relationship and mutual interests between the two countries. “In return, India always admired and recognized the German genius in philosophy, music, science, and technology, said the anniversary’s website “punegermancentenary.com”.

As mentioned above, Max Mueller is considered to be the co-founder of modern Indology and Sanskrit studies. The Goethe Institutes which were established in India in the late 1950s and the 1960s were also initially named after him. In 1957, the first “Max Mueller Bhavan” was inaugurated in Kolkata. It was then opened in 1959 in Delhi, in 1960 in what was then Madras (now Chennai) as well as in Bangalore, in 1962 in Pune, and 1969 in Bombay, Mumbai as known today.

The teaching of German in those days was still in its infancy across India, the advancements in Pune and Mumbai being rather exceptional. The esteemed Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi opened its “Centre for German Studies” in 1971. “To learn the German language let alone to study German language and literature, was for long something exceptional and interested an absolute minority,” reports Alicia Padrós, the Head of Educational Services, Goethe Institute in Delhi.

Slowly, it will catch up

The “Max Mueller Bhavans” have been, in recent years, more successful. In the year 2000, there were about 8,000 students across all centers. This count increased to 25,000 in 2013. “The numbers in the last few years have steeply increased and would climb further when we have more classrooms and teaching staff,” comments Alicia Padrós describing the boom.

The schools present a similar picture. In 1995, there were 9,500 school students nationwide studying German. By the year 2000, the count had increased to 12,800 (in 60 schools), 14,900 students (in 136 schools) in 2005, and 18,550 (in 144 schools) in 2010.

After school students and learners of German came from colleges and universities. By the year 2000, about 50 universities had introduced German courses or German degree programs. The number of German learning students stabilized at around 4,500 out of which more than 200 were German language and literature students. Between 2005 and 2010, the figures again increased to 11,100.

When one adds the language school students too, the overall number of German learners grew from 17,900 (in 2000) to 21,740 (in 2005) and to 31,590 (2010). One reason for the increasing popularity of the German language is the realization that English alone is no longer sufficient in the booming Indian economy to ensure good opportunities in the job market. Germany is anyways main trading partner of India in the EU. “Many German companies have their presence here and interest in German culture and technology is very high,” says Markus Biechele, Director of Language Programmes India and South Asia, Goethe Institute.

Learning German not only furthers the career opportunities of school and college students but also boosts Indo-German friendship. This has also been strengthened by the exchange programs initiated by various schools and colleges. For instance, the students of the tradition-rich Fergusson College have been, for years, guests of schools in Kaarst and Heilbronn. The Mumbai University also offers exchange programs with Göttingen, Hamburg, Augsburg, Köln and Klagenfurt. More and more students are going to Germany. As per DAAD, their numbers have trebled between 2002 and 2012, from 1800 to 5,745.

When one compares globally, the German language does not command the same importance in India as in other countries. For instance, in countries like Russia and Poland with much smaller populations, the number of German learners is over 2 million. The most comparable is China with around 40,000 German learners (as of 2010) with a likewise population of over 1 billion people.

Exploding school enrolments

A decision promised a big jump in school enrolments. The chain of state-run schools called Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) introduced German as the first foreign language to be taught in schools (English is not considered a foreign language). “German in 1000 schools” is the name and target of the project. “The introduction of the German language was a direct consequence of the fact that two KVs were included in the PASCH network.” elucidated Alicia Padrós. PASCH schools have a special bond with Germany and work in close collaboration with German institutions such as Goethe Institute.

The project had a good start and catapulted the number of students to top figures. By the year 2014, 500 KV schools had introduced the language, thereby increasing the number of KV students learning German to 78,000. The Goethe Institute had its hands full with finding and training those interested in teaching German – Indian universities had so far, no German teacher training programs. The KV project was the key reason why the Goethe Institute reached a record count of 107,000 students in 700 schools in the last nationwide count in the autumn of 2014.

The upswing seems to have abruptly stopped. The new Indian government has decided to make Sanskrit or any other Indian language again mandatory as the third language to be taught to Grades 6 to 8 in the KVs instead of German.

Right now, ways are being sought to somehow continue what has already commenced. German should at least be continued to be offered as an optional subject. The German ambassador Michael Steiner told Deutsche Welle, “The solution must be ‘as well as,’ and I think that is how everyone here in India also sees it. On the one hand, while people are interested in maintaining tradition, which is completely justifiable, on the other hand, they also want to promote the economy. I think it is legitimate for the young people to say that learning a language like German helps me in my education and also professionally.”

Although the number of German learners in secondary schools might decline initially due to the Government’s decision, the interest in German universities and companies, in German technology and know-how and with it in the German language continues to grow strongly. Therefore, there exists good reason to be confident that in the next 100 years, learning German in India will be a success story.