Indian schools teach Mandarin to empower students

Around 20 government schools in Pauri Garhwal district in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand are teaching their students, most of whom are below the poverty line, Mandarin.

The one-year Mandarin language course for beginners is aimed at empowering students under the Prime Minister Schools for Rising India initiative, a federal government-sponsored vocational training education program aimed at equipping students with language skills to access global job markets.

The program runs under Doon University's Community Outreach Initiative, which is located in Dehradun, the state capital of Uttarakhand. It allows final-year Chinese studies students to teach in government schools as part of their skills development and National Education Policy-mandated practical training. It serves a dual purpose by providing real-world teaching experience and also skills enhancement for university students.