Australia Grants Funding to Extend Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi and Other Indian Language Programs to Senior Years

The Australian government has announced fresh funding for community language schools, aimed at keeping Indian languages on the curriculum through Years 11 and 12. The money comes from the Fluency in Asian Languages stream of the Community Language Schools Grants Program and will be used to develop new teaching resources and support teachers. Eight languages are slated to benefit, among them Hindi, Tamil, Punjabi and Bengali. By extending study options into senior secondary school, the initiative seeks to give students of South‑Asian heritage a clearer pathway to maintain and deepen their linguistic roots while completing their formal education. Officials say the grant will help schools design curricula that align with senior year requirements and provide materials that reflect contemporary usage. For diaspora families, the move represents a significant step toward preserving cultural identity and improving future opportunities for bilingual graduates. The program is expected to roll out over the next financial year, with schools applying for support under the established grant framework.