Rajasthan: Stipend for youth from minority communities to learn foreign languages

Jaipur: In a bid to help youngsters from minority communities in Rajasthan to learn English and other foreign languages, the State government has launched a scheme that will offer enrolled students a monthly stipend of Rs 1500, Minority Affairs Minister Saleh Mohammad said.

The first phase of applications for the Chief Minister Minority Language Efficiency and Communication Skills Development Scheme launched by the department of minority affairs in partnership with the Rajasthan Knowledge Corporation has begun, he said. In view of the positive response from the candidates, the last date for application has also been extended from April 10 to April 25.

According to minister efforts are being made to economically empower the minority community through the scheme. If the youth belonging to the minority community have knowledge of different languages, then they will be able to get employment in the state's tourism sector.
Talking to ANI, Saleh Mohammad said under the scheme, youth from the minority community would be taught languages like English, French, German, Arabic, Persian, Spanish, Chinese and Japanese.
"In the first phase, the chief minister Ashok Gehlot government will give a monthly stipend of Rs 1500 to a total of 800 candidates for studying these languages under the scheme," he said.

"The benefits of the government's ambitious scheme will not only be restricted to youth from the Muslim community but the youth of Jain, Sikh, Christian and Buddhist communities who come under the criteria of minority section in Rajasthan will also be enrolled in the course," the minister added.
Eligible candidates must need to have a minimum qualification of Intermediate and should be aged between 18 to 45 to enrol themselves in the course, the minister said.
At present, a budget of Rupees 2 crore has been allocated for the scheme and in the first phase 800 candidates will be enrolled in the course, but as the number of interested candidates increases, then funds and seats will be increased subsequently, the minister said. (ANI)