At Noida summer camps, kids to be introduced to second Indian language

Noida: After CBSE’s three-language directive to students of classes 9 and 10 this year, kids across all age groups will be introduced to a second Indian language during the ongoing break – at summer camps.The UP education department and CBSE have directed schools to incorporate language learning at the vacation camps, using interactive and activity-based sessions rather than conventional teaching.Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp 2026 initiative aims “to promote the spirit of Learn One More Bharatiya Bhasha through joyful, experiential learning,” a CBSE notification said. The notification does not specify classes, except that camps will be held for young children.As part of the camp, students are encouraged to pick a second Indian language of their choice and build basic conversational skills while developing an appreciation for India’s linguistic and cultural diversity.“National Education Policy 2020 emphasises multilingualism to strengthen national integration, cultural understanding and communication skills. In alignment with these objectives... the camp shall be organised across schools during summer vacation,” the notification read.The state education department’s stated objectives are similar. Indian Sign Language has also been included as part of the inclusivity push.CBSE has detailed a seven-day programme: On day one, students are be introduced to basic greetings and expressions, alphabets, numbers, signatures and other foundational aspects of the language; day two focuses on city tours and real-life conversation practice; the third day is about art and culture through music, dance and painting — students can learn the names of traditional musical instruments and explore local dance forms and painting styles; day four is about local cuisines, including the names of spices, vegetables and fruits in the target language; day five is on culture appreciation, listening skills and awareness about local heroes, freedom fighters, artists and other eminent personalities; day six about local history and geography, including rivers, mountains and historical monuments; and the final day about traditional games, motivation and programme closure.Each school may decide the language to be taught based on available teachers and resources, student demand, or languages spoken in neighbouring or bordering districts. Schools can choose from 22 scheduled languages, including Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu and others.“Our school has chosen Bengali for the summer camp,” said Aditi Basu, district president of All India Principals Association and principal of Grads International School.Separately, the district administration and sports department have planned a series of events, too, as part of the summer camp programme. The sporting calendar began with a district-level chess competition hosted at Ramagya School in Sector 50, where 235 players from schools and institutions across Gautam Budh Nagar participated.“Several more competitions have been scheduled between June 4 and 17. These will be organised at different schools and venues across the district,” said district magistrate Medha Roopam.