SCERT Punjab directs schools to conduct Telugu language summer camp

The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Punjab, has instructed all government schools in the state to hold an Indian Language Summer Camp to teach the Telugu language, following directions from the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education.

According to the SCERT guidelines, the summer camp will run from May 26 to June 5 in all government schools. It will be open to students from Classes VI to X.

In Punjab, Telugu has been selected as the target language for this year’s program. The sessions will take place after the half-day break on working days and from 8 am to 11 am during summer vacation.

The initiative aims to introduce students to basic conversational skills in a new Indian language, foster multilingualism in an interactive format, and reinforce a sense of national cultural unity.

A flexible structure has been recommended for implementation. Schools with fewer than 75 students will conduct the camp as a single group, while larger institutions may form up to three groups, depending on student interest and teacher availability.

Learning materials—both print and digital—will be sourced from organizations such as CIIL Mysore, NCERT, the Central Hindi Directorate, and Sanskrit universities.

Group in-charges may be drawn from the existing pool of Hindi, English, or Punjabi teachers, as well as staff from art, music, or any other willing departments.

The seven-day program includes various interactive language activities and will end with a Motivation and Closure Activity.

SCERT has stressed that the camp should be conducted in a joyful and inclusive manner to encourage active student participation and ensure a meaningful learning experience.

SCERT stated that this initiative is a significant step towards familiarizing students with India’s rich linguistic diversity.

However, the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF) has raised concerns over the move.

“Despite the fact that the majority of students in the state have Punjabi as their mother tongue, over 3,800 students in 12th grade and 1,571 students in 10th grade failed to pass in General Punjabi as their first language. Now, the department is issuing orders to teachers to teach the Telugu language to students,” the DTF said.

They further pointed out that under the Samarth Mission, classes have been held for two years to support students struggling with Punjabi.

“Many students up to the 8th grade are still learning to read and write words, meaning they are significantly behind their peers in Punjabi,” the DTF added.