Schools across the country have been asked to hold a weeklong summer camp to teach “some basic communication skills” in a new Indian language to interested students.

Guidelines issued by the education ministry say the children will be expected to learn basic greetings and expressions, new words, and ways of introducing oneself and carrying on real-life conversations in the new language. They will be shown short children’s or social films in the new language.

“Each school will conduct the camp (on) its premises, using its own language/ art/ music teachers, as far as possible,” the guidelines say.

“An Indian language other than (the) languages (the) children are learning in their schools will be chosen by the school in discussion with students, teachers and parents and this will be taught through the communicative approach.”

The schools may tap possible volunteers, such as parents and government officials who are proficient in the languages to be taught.

The schools must submit reports on the camps to the ministry, the guidelines say.

With the summer vacation approaching its end in some states, the ministry has allowed the schools to conduct the camp over multiple weekends after the vacation, if that is more convenient.

Since most schoolchildren already learn two Indian languages formally — along with English — under the three-language formula, the camp is expected to give them basic lessons in a third Indian language.