Language lessons from Valley

Ranchi, Oct. 24: For the 11 students from Kupwara, Jammu and Kashmir, it is a whole new experience.

The students are in Ranchi Navodaya School for the regional language exchange programme.

Aiming to promote national integration among students, Navodaya Schools organise the exchange programmes every year.

Under the programme, students go to Navodaya School of another state to learn the regional language, which is taught as the third language in their school. Students of Class VIII and above take part in the exchange programme. The Navodaya Vidhayalay Samiti decides the third language to be taught in the Navodaya Schools.

Principal of the school Poonam Bara said, ?The students from Kupwara are enjoying themsleves and they have been interacting a lot with others.,? she said.

The students will be learning Urdu as they are familiar with the language. Said Sheikh Abdullah from Kupwara, who has come to Ranchi Navodaya School, ?I am trying to learn Hindi from my classmates and teach them Kashmiri. The atmosphere is the school campus is very friendly.?

The students do have an adjustment problem initially, but eventually mould themselves in the new environment.

Vice-principal of Ranchi Navodaya School A.K. Singh told The Telegraph, ?The Navodaya Schools definitely promote national integration among the students. There is lot of enthusiasm among the students and they shed all inhibitions while interacting with students from other states. They are curious to know more about each others? place.?

Urdu teacher of Ranchi Navodaya School, Jat Javi, said, ?The students from Jammu and Kashmir are very intelligent and have grasped the third language very fast. They have also scored well in the class test.?