VI. THE SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION SERVICE

 

40.     SIMULTANEOUS INTERPRETATION SERVICE

 

 

40.1 Main function: The function of the Simultaneous Interpretation Service is to provide simultaneous interpretation of the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha in Hindi and English from the floor language so that Chairperson, Ministers and Members not knowing the floor language can follow the proceedings of the House.  Each seat of the House has been provided with an earphone and a channel selector.  A number of such earphones have also been provided in the Lok Sabha Members’ Gallery, Special Box for Distinguished Visitors, Press Gallery and Official Gallery in order to make the interpretation facility available there too. Similar arrangement exists in most of the Committee rooms both in Parliament House & Parliament House Annexe.

 

                Simultaneous interpretation of speeches etc. made in Hindi and English is available throughout the sittings of the House and its Committees.  Besides, arrangements, at present exist for simultaneous interpretation in Hindi and English of speeches made in 10 other Indian languages, namely, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

 

                A Member desirous of speaking in any of the aforesaid Indian languages is required to give at least an hour’s notice to this effect.  The notice is received by the Table Office and is then passed on to the Principal Chief Parliamentary Interpreter/Chief Parliamentary Interpreter who makes the necessary arrangement thereof. Before the beginning of each Session, Hon’ble Members are informed of this procedure as also of the working of the system-use of equipment etc. through a Bulletin issued by the Secretariat.

 

                The provision of simultaneous interpretation facility has greatly encouraged Hon’ble Members and Ministers to speak in Hindi and their respective mother tongues.  An ever increasing number of Members choosing an Indian language instead of English to articulate their views in the House and its Committees over the years is reflective of the smooth and successful functioning of the Service.

               

The existing strength of officers of the Service is as follows:

 

                Principal Chief Parliamentary Interpreter-        1

 

                Chief Parliamentary Interpreter          -               1

                Senior Parliamentary Interpreters      -               4

               

                                Hindi/English                        -               1

                                Marathi                                  -               1

                                Telugu                                   -               1

                                Oriya                                      -               1

                                                                                               

Parliamentary Interpreter    -               18+2    

                Hindi/English                        -               14+1(on deputation to UNDP)

                Assamese                              -               1

                Bengali                                   -               1

                Kannada                                -               1 (on deputation to Min. of Railways)

Malayalam                             -               1

Tamil                                      -               1

Urdu                                       -               1

Junior Interpreter

(Hindi/English)                                     -               1

Total:                                      -               28+2                                       

 

Vacancies                              -               3

Hindi/English                        -               2

Punjabi                                   -               1

                                                               

40.2        Interpretation Work: During the period under review, the Service covered the proceedings of 3 Sessions of Rajya Sabha from 198^th to 200^th Session.  The total number of sittings was 74.

 

                The service also covered the function to commemorate the 200^th Session of Rajya Sabha held on December 11 at the Central Hall.

 

Work relating to speeches in various regional languages inter-alia involves, preparation of the English/Hindi version of the speech for inclusion in the day’s     proceedings of the House.

 

Simultaneous interpretation facility was also provided in the meetings of all Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committees of the Rajya Sabha and also other House committees. The total number of meetings covered during the year was 217.Since the existing strength of Hindi-English Interpreters was inadequate to cope with the interpretation work in the Committee meetings particularly during the break of Budget session the services of Shri L.B. Shinde, Senior Parliamentary Interpreter (Marathi), Smt. D. Jayashree, Senior Parliamentary Interpreter (Telugu) and Shri D.M.N. Khan, Parliamentary Interpreter (Urdu) were utilized for Hindi-English Interpretation on their own volition.    The services of the officers of the Simultaneous Interpretation Service were also requisitioned by various Ministries and Departments for their conferences and consultative committee meetings. The Governors’ Conference held in the Rashtrapati Bhavan on 11th and 12th Jan was a prestigious conference covered by this Service.  The President Secretariat conveyed to the Secretary General the Hon’ble President’s appreciation for the good work done by the Officers of this Service.

(a)     Language Interpretation (other than Hindi/English)

 

 

Sl.No.                     Language                              No.of  speeches made during session

                                                                                    198                     199                         200

1.                                            Assamese                                  -                           -                               -                                                       

2.                                            Bengali                                       -                           -                               -

3.                                            Kannada                                    -                           -                               -

4.                                            Malayalam                                 -                           -                                -

5.                                            Gujarati                      -                           1                              -

6.                                            Marathi                                      -                           -                               -

7.                                            Oriya                                          -                           -                               1

8.                                            Tamil                                          2                          5                              2

9.                                            Telugu                                       -                           2                              1

10.                                         Urdu                                           10

 

 

40.3            Translation:  The Service is called upon to render translation into English/Hindi of documents such as speeches, Press reports, letters, petitions etc. received by the Rajya Sabha Secretariat in various regional languages.  During the year under review, a number of documents received from different Committee Sections etc. were also translated from various regional languages into English.

 

 

40.4            Orientation Programme for the Journalists/Reporters: Interpretational facility was also provided in the Orientation Programme for the Journalists/Reporters covering the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha organized by the training Unit on August 28 and 29 during the year.

 

40.5        Foreign dignitaries’ call on meetings: Several foreign dignitaries including Heads of States, Prime Ministers, Ministers, Ambassadors, Leaders and Members of Parliamentary delegations from different countries called on Hon’ble Vice President and Chairman, Rajya Sabha during the year. Since the services of a Hindi-English interpreter were requisitioned to cover the call-on meetings held at Rashtrapati Bhavan, Vice-President’s House, Hyderabad House and Chairman’s Chamber, Parliament House, Shri Sanjay Vatsa, Parliamentary Interpreter was especially trained in the mode of consecutive interpreting by the Chief Parliamentary Interpreter and deputed for this purpose. During the year as many as 40 such call-on meetings were covered by this Service.

 

40.6        Skill and efficiency:  With a view to keeping the Interpreters in form and further improving their skill and efficiency, regular practice of simultaneous interpretation was conducted during the year under review.

 

40.7        Training:Shri. L.B. Shinde, Sr.Parl. Interpreter was deputed to attend the programme on Parliamentary administration at RIPA International, London from June 16 to 27. Shri.P.B.Vanjani, Sr.Parl. Interpreter Attended a Work Shop on Official language at Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh From October 15 to 17.