Chandigarh: Foreign students at the Chaudhry Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University (CCSHAU) in Hisar will now have to study Hindi as a compulsory subject, a varsity official said on Sunday.

The academic council of CCSHAU decided to make Hindi language a compulsory subject for foreign students to better their understanding of Indian people and the country's cultural heritage, varsity registrar and member secretary of the academic council S.S. Dahiya said.

"It would facilitate them to communicate with the local people. But, it would be optional for Indian students," he added.

The CCSHAU is located at Hisar city, 300 km from here. IANS