In order to familiarize every child with simple dialogues in all the 22 languages under Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India, taking up one language on each working day, to enhance linguistic tolerance and promote national integration.In order to celebrate these unique features of our country, the Bhasha Sangam initiative under the “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” ushers in a programme for schools and educational institutions to provide multilingual exposure to students in Indian languages listed in Schedule VIII of the Constitution of India.With Bhasha Sangam Mobile App, one can learn all the 22 official languages of the country for free. These languages include Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.
The idea of a sustained and structured cultural connect between people of different regions was mooted by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during the Rashtriya Ekta Divas held on 31st October, 2015, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat programme, aims to actively enhance interaction between people of diverse cultures living in different States and UTs in India, with the objective of promoting greater mutual understanding amongst them.The programme “Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat” was initiated to celebrate the spirit of national integration. “Bhasha Sangam” marks the unique symphony of languages of our country and is an expression of our shared dreams, hopes and aspirations for one India. Under Bhasha Sangam initiative it was planned to provide multilingual exposure to students in Indian languages listed in the VIII schedule of the Constitution of India. This initiative was just the beginning of the journey meant to create interest in these languages and aroused curiosity to learn more. Language is a major instrument in shaping individuals, society, culture, learning and education, thinking and identity of people. Language learning, as we know, is fundamental to all learning and harmonious development of young children into citizens for a country. Learning many languages in school and in society is common in our country and almost all Indians are multilinguals.
This multilingual characteristic of the country is reflected in school education as the school curriculum advocates learning of many languages. Bhasha Sangam is yet another effort in moving towards achieving the goal of education as also the vision of the Indian Constitution. National Education Policy 2020, while deliberating on language education in school underscores the need for recognising and promoting multilingualism as a path to realising the fundamental aims of education and schooling. In order to fulfill the aims and objectives of Basha Sanagham , on 28th of June 2022 ,as per guidelines from higher ups ,Basha Sangham Quiz was being organised in Zone Mawar of District Kupwara .In the Basha Sangahm quiz ,students participated with full enthusiasm.During this program students learned the basics about tamil language as here Kashmiri language has been linked with tamil language. In the zone, eight clusters from the zone participated including 400 students. BMS Batagund,BHSS Sanzipora, GHS Qalamabad, HS Kutlari, BHS Haril, HS Shanoo, BMS Kunnil, BHS Shatgundbala were the venues where these Basha Sanagham quizes were organised.Through such quizes learners got a chance to learn the basic names in tamil language , enhanced linguistic tolerance and respect, and shouldered their part in national integration.
(The author is a teacher at Education Zone Mawar of Kupwara district. Views are exclusively his own)
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