The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) is launching a three-month online Basic Hindi Awareness program for overseas students in partnership with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and the Central Hindi Directorate (CHD).
According to media reports, classes will begin on November 16 and will be held twice a week. The course aims to increase the basic awareness and knowledge of the Hindi language among foreigners. ICCR has confirmed that 226 students from nine countries including Thailand, China, Mauritius, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iran, Taiwan, Philippines and Romania have applied for the program.
An official statement from ICCR explained the roles of IGNOU, CHD and the council and said that IGNOU will register and enroll students in the course. It will even be responsible for student evaluation and certification.
On the other hand, CHD, the top body of the Ministry of Education for the promotion of Hindi, will make study materials available to students. In addition, she will direct and assess them. The ICCR has decided to cover 70 percent of the Hindi course fees and the students are responsible for the remaining 30 percent.
ICCR said while making the official statement: “Hindi is the third most spoken language in the world. Hindi, one of the official languages of India, is also the most widely spoken language in India.” The Indian Cultural Relations Council, as part of its mandate to promote Indian culture abroad, is already promoting the Hindi language, it added.
The ICCR goes on to say that it is replacing Hindi teachers and professors at India Culture Centers and ICCR Hindi Chairs located in universities around the world. The council concludes by stating that ICCR scholarships are also an important step towards the promotion of Hindi language abroad.
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