ISLRTC-developed ISL dictionary translated into 10 additional regional languages including Odia

The ISLRTC has translated the Indian Sign Language dictionary into 10 regional languages, including Odia, enhancing educational access. With 665 students training in DISLI and DTISL courses, the initiative aims for broader linguistic inclusion.

ISLRTC-developed ISL dictionary translated into 10 additional regional languages

ISLRTC-developed ISL dictionary translated into 10 additional regional languages

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Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) serves as an important agency for the use of Indian Sign Language as an educational mode for deaf students at primary, secondary and higher education levels.

Sign languages are visual-gestural manual languages that use movements of the hands, facial expressions, and head/body positions to convey linguistic messages. Sign language is the main form of communication for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

According to the Census 2011, a total of 2.68 crore persons in India were reported as having disabilities out of which 19% have hearing disabilities. 

There are 42 institutes conducting Diploma in Sign Language Interpretation (DISLI) and 13 institutes conducting Diploma in Teaching Indian Sign Language (DTISL) for the deaf students. In the year 2024-25, the number of institutes conducting DTISL course have increased from 7 to 13 and institutes conducting DISLI course from 20 to 42.

Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) has taken following steps to spread awareness deafness and hearing loss:

Currently, 665 students are undergoing training in the DISLI and DTISL at the National Institutes and Composite Regional Centre under this Department.

ISLRTC has conducted free awareness sessions at venues such as corporations, colleges, universities, etc. and sensitized more than 1,000 participants about deafness and ISL.

The ISL dictionary developed by ISLRTC has been translated into 10 additional regional languages to facilitate accessibility for regional language users and expand its scope (apart from already included English and Hindi). 

The 10 languages – Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil and Telegu - have been updated in the ISL Dictionary.

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