A total of 79 Indian students have been selected for the French Education Ministry's English Language Assistants programme that will see the participation of 60 countries. The programme will take place from October 2017 to May 2018, according to a statement from the French Embassy and the Institut Français India (IFI) here on Thursday.

"In the framework of their bilateral cooperation in education, France and India have agreed to support the mobility of students, encouraging the internationalisation of their higher education training courses," they added. Students taking part in this 20-year-old teaching programme will be assisting English language teachers in primary, secondary and higher secondary schools by offering them an understanding of the language throughout the academic year.

The students have been selected on the basis of their expertise in both French and English. "The programme provides a unique opportunity to Indian students who have already acquired a high level of French language competence o have a first professional experience in the French academic milieu," Marie Doublier, IFI Attache for Cooperation said.

"They shall not only work in French schools but also live with French families to get a complete familiarity of the French lifestyle. They will also help develop links between French and Indian schools, teachers and students," she said. Adding that most participants become French language teachers in Indian schools, colleges and universities when they return.