JLPT Centre Visit Turns into an Eye-Opening Session for Parents

What began as a routine examination-day visit by Dr Ashok Jain, President of the Mombusho Scholars Association of India (MOSAI), unexpectedly turned into an informative and inspiring interaction with parents and guardians of students appearing for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) at DPS International.

Dr Jain was constantly moving around the examination centre to oversee arrangements and ensure the smooth conduct of the test. Meanwhile, parents and guardians accompanying the candidates had been requested to wait in a dedicated room on the school premises.

During one of his rounds, Dr Jain entered the waiting room and began speaking casually with them. The informal conversation soon developed into an engaging question-and-answer session as parents sought clarity about the importance of learning Japanese and the future prospects available to their children.

Many admitted that while their children had been studying Japanese, they themselves knew little about the opportunities associated with the language. One of the principal questions concerned the significance of the JLPT and whether passing it could directly lead to scholarships or employment.

Dr Jain explained that the JLPT evaluates and certifies the Japanese-language proficiency of non-native speakers. Its certificates can serve as official evidence of language ability for educational institutions and employers. Depending upon the level achieved, JLPT certification could strengthen a candidate’s prospects for higher education and employment with Japanese companies in India as well as organisations in Japan.

“Japanese-language proficiency can open an extensive range of opportunities,” Dr Jain told the parents. “Japanese companies operating in India require professionals who understand not only their respective technical or professional fields but also the Japanese language, workplace culture and communication practices.”

He highlighted opportunities across sectors such as manufacturing, information technology, engineering, automobiles, electronics, trade, tourism, translation, interpretation, education and international business.

At the same time, Dr Jain clarified an important misconception: the JLPT is a language-proficiency examination and not a scholarship test. The official JLPT describes its purpose as evaluating and certifying the Japanese proficiency of non-native speakers, with its certificates usable for education and employment.

For Japanese government scholarships, students must apply separately under the MEXT scholarship programme. MEXT refers to Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, which offers scholarships to international students through prescribed application and selection procedures.

“JLPT and MEXT should not be confused,” he explained. “JLPT certifies Japanese-language ability, whereas MEXT is the Japanese government’s scholarship programme for international students. Students interested in studying in Japan must understand the eligibility criteria and selection process for the relevant MEXT scholarship category.”

The conversation also revealed that several parents had never heard of the Examination for Japanese University Admission for International Students, commonly known as EJU.

Dr Jain explained that EJU is intended primarily for international students seeking undergraduate admission to universities and other higher-education institutions in Japan. It assesses whether applicants possess the Japanese-language ability and academic competence required to study at such institutions.

MOSAI conducts EJU in New Delhi on behalf of the Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO), with examination sessions generally organised twice annually. Successful performance can help students pursue admission to participating Japanese institutions, while high-scoring candidates may also become eligible for designated scholarship opportunities.

Parents were particularly interested in whether their children could realistically study and build careers in Japan. Dr Jain informed them that MOSAI’s Higher Education Counselling Cell provides guidance to students exploring university courses, admission routes and study opportunities in Japan. MOSAI itself was established by Indian scholars who had studied or conducted research in Japan, initially under Japanese government scholarships.

He encouraged parents to begin planning well in advance, carefully examining university requirements, language expectations, academic programmes, financial considerations and scholarship options.

The discussion also challenged the perception that Japanese was a language pursued only by school and university students. Dr Jain pointed out that learners now came from widely different age groups and professional backgrounds.

“It is not only youngsters who are learning Japanese,” he said. “Mid-career professionals, senior citizens and people motivated by academic, cultural or personal interests are also studying the language.”

To the surprise of those present, he disclosed that a learner aged around 75 was among the candidates taking the examination that day. The example demonstrated that language learning was not restricted by age and could remain a meaningful lifelong pursuit.

Dr Jain also urged families to broaden their traditional outlook towards overseas education. While many Indian parents instinctively considered the United States, the United Kingdom or Europe for their children’s higher studies, he suggested that they should pay much greater attention to East Asia.

“This is Asia’s century,” he told them. “Families should look eastward and seriously examine the academic, technological and professional opportunities emerging in Japan and other East Asian economies.”

By the end of the interaction, the atmosphere in the waiting room had noticeably changed. Parents who had initially viewed Japanese as simply another foreign language began recognising it as a gateway to education, employment, international exposure and meaningful engagement with one of the world’s most advanced economies.

They left the session better informed, visibly encouraged and more confident about supporting their children’s Japanese-language journey. A casual conversation during an examination-centre round had ultimately become an important orientation session—one that revealed to parents the largely unexplored power and potential of learning Japanese.