Punjab Mandates Punjabi in Schools Amidst Linguistic Controversy

The Punjab government has mandated Punjabi as a compulsory subject in all state schools, despite board affiliations, following accusations against the BJP-led Centre and CBSE for omitting Punjabi in their draft norms for Class 10 board exams. Education certificates will require Punjabi as a core subject.

The Punjab government announced on Wednesday the mandatory inclusion of Punjabi as a core subject in all schools across the state, regardless of their educational board affiliations. This decision follows accusations by the AAP government against the BJP-led Centre and CBSE for excluding Punjabi from Class 10 subject lists in their new draft norms.

Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains emphasized that education certificates will be deemed invalid if Punjabi is not included as a main subject. Bains accused CBSE of a calculated move against Punjab's cultural heritage, alleging that Punjabi was conspicuously absent from regional language categories while foreign languages were included.

In retaliation, the state government issued an immediate notification to enforce Punjabi's inclusion. An expert committee will be established to revisit educational policies. The Shiromani Akali Dal echoed criticism, denouncing the exclusion as discriminatory towards Punjabis nationwide.