Punjab Schools to Compulsorily Teach Punjabi

The Punjab government has made it mandatory for all schools in the state, irrespective of their educational board, to teach Punjabi as a main and compulsory subject. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains announced the decision through a fresh notification, applicable immediately. This move ensures that Punjabi remains a core part of school curricula under various boards, including PSEB, CBSE, and CISCE. The decision follows concerns over the alleged removal of Punjabi from the CBSE’s Class 10 regional language list.

Key Highlights of the Decision

• The Punjab government has mandated Punjabi as a main subject for Class 10 in all schools, irrespective of their board affiliation.
• This rule applies to Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), CBSE, and CISCE schools.
• Certificates of students will be considered null and void if Punjabi is not included as a main subject.
• The Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Act, 2008, will be strictly enforced, with penalties for non-compliance.
• Private schools violating the Act have been fined ₹50,000 each for non-compliance.

Controversy Over CBSE’s Draft Norms

• Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains accused CBSE of dropping Punjabi from its Class 10 subject list.
• He termed this move a “well-planned conspiracy” against Punjab, Punjabi, and Punjabiyat.
• The CBSE’s draft norms included multiple languages like Sanskrit, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, and Tamil but excluded Punjabi from the regional languages list.
• Bains wrote to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan seeking clarification and action on this issue.
• The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) also opposed the exclusion and demanded Punjabi’s immediate restoration in the CBSE language list.

CBSE’s Clarification

• CBSE denied any changes to the language list and stated that all existing subjects, including Punjabi, would continue.
• Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj clarified that the list in the draft was only indicative and not final.
• CBSE reiterated that Punjabi remains an offered language in the Class 10 board exams.

Government Actions & Future Plans

• The Punjab government fined Amity International School in Mohali for failing to comply with the 2008 Act.
• Two Jalandhar-based schools were also penalized for violating the mandate on teaching Punjabi.
• The AAP government plans to introduce its own education policy, with an expert committee being constituted soon.