Schools hold ‘bhasha’ camps in heat despite halt order

Chandigarh: A day after concerns were flagged over holding in-person language camps during peak summer, the education department has asked schools to stop physical sessions of the Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp (BBSC). However, several govt schools still conducted classes Monday, with principals saying future activities will move online.The BBSC-2026, part of the Union education ministry’s multilingual push under NEP 2020, had begun as a week-long, in-person programme with nearly two hours of daily activities. The move drew criticism as schools were already shut from May 23 due to extreme heatwave conditions, with authorities citing risks to students’ health.Sources said the department conveyed to schools that physical camps should not continue following concerns over students being called to campus amid soaring temperatures.Despite this, sessions were held in some schools on Monday, with students attending for limited hours before clarity emerged.Principals said they have now received instructions to shift to online mode if the programme continues. “We have been told not to continue physically. If needed, it will be conducted online,” said a school head.Another principal said Monday’s session had already been completed before the revised message reached them. “Students attended for about two hours, but we will avoid physical attendance going forward,” the official said.Originally designed as a 28-hour programme over seven days, the camp focuses on conversational learning, storytelling, songs and cultural activities in Indian languages.