Punjab students to learn basic Telugu, Andhra counterparts to learn Punjabi under Centre’s ‘Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp’

The main objective is that students obtain basic knowledge of an additional language, besides those in their school curriculum, the letter read.

The Telugu classes have to be conducted in physical mode, it said, adding multiple batches can be held depending on the “number of students interested” and “availability of teachers”.

According to the letter, the initiative is aimed at “making students learn an additional Indian language of their choice, enable them to acquire basic conversational skills in a language apart from their mother tongue, promote multilingualism among them in a joyful and engaging manner, help them experience the linguistic and cultural unity of Indian languages”.

Language school teachers (English, Hindi or Punjabi) will be leading the students’ groups — being in-charges of the project. If required, arts or music or other subject teachers can also lead the camp, the order read. “Teachers can use YouTube links for reference,” it added.

The order further said the camp has to be held between May 26 and June 5 (tentatively). “However, school heads can select dates as per their convenience, during summer vacations.”

According to the curriculum provided by the Union ministry, the basics will include alphabets, numbers, greetings, expressions, conversations, songs (art/ dance/ music), names of local cuisines/ fruits/ veggies as well as local heroes/ armed forces/ freedom fighters, and cultural appreciation in Telugu.

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said that Punjab and Andhra Pradesh have been paired under the programme as per directives from the Union Ministry of Education.

As part of the exchange, students from classes VI to X in Punjab government schools will learn the basics of Telugu, while Andhra Pradesh government schools will reciprocate by teaching Punjabi to their students.

The minister said that this pan-India initiative has seen diverse state pairings, such as J&K and Ladakh with Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh with Kerala, Uttarakhand with Karnataka, Haryana with Telangana, Rajasthan with Assam, Gujarat with Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra with Odisha, Goa with Jharkhand, Delhi with Sikkim, Madhya Pradesh with Manipur & Nagaland etc.

The initiative aims to encourage students to learn an additional Indian language, promoting multilingualism and appreciation for regional cultures, he said, while emphasising the importance of preserving regional languages and cultures.

Bains added that the summer camp aims to promote multilingualism and cultural unity by encouraging students to learn an additional Indian language.