A political row erupted in Punjab Wednesday after the Punjabi language was allegedly “eliminated” as a topic within the Central Board of Secondary Schooling (CBSE)’s draft coverage for the proposed Twin Board Exams for Class 10 from 2025-26 session underneath the Nationwide Schooling Coverage (NEP), 2020. The coverage proposes that class-10 board exams will likely be held twice a 12 months 2026 onwards, with the intention to give an opportunity to college students to enhance their scores and scale back the strain.
Nevertheless, the Punjabi language was not simply discovered “lacking” from the checklist of regional languages within the draft doc, but in addition allegedly “eliminated” from the checklist of 5 important topics. Chopping throughout the celebration traces, the politicians blamed BJP-led Centre for “direct assault” on Punjab’s id and tradition, with AAP chief and state schooling minister Harjot Singh Bains calling it a “deliberate try” by the BJP to undermine the standing of Punjabi. The Congress and SAD additionally blamed Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann for “remaining silent”. Nevertheless, CBSE was fast to situation an addendum stating that Punjabi and different regional languages will proceed to be supplied as earlier than. Nevertheless, the difficulty for Punjabi, in accordance with educationists and academics in Punjab, in a lot deeper within the new draft coverage.
The Indian Categorical explains:
Firstly, what was the CBSE’s class 10 research scheme for topics till now?
In response to the CBSE’s secondary college curriculum 2024-25 (the newest earlier than 2026 twin examination draft got here), the category 10 college students have been finding out 5 obligatory topics or informally “important” subjects- Language 1, Language 2, Social Science, Maths and Science. Aside from these 5, college students have been additionally allowed to go for extra third language and skill-based topics.
Of the 2 obligatory languages (L1 and L2), one needed to be both English or Hindi and the second could possibly be any from the checklist of 40 regional languages supplied by the board, together with Punjabi. The scholars have been additionally free to decide Hindi as second language however not mandatorily.
Nevertheless, college students of all CBSE-affiliated colleges in Punjab have to review Punjabi as certainly one of two important languages as much as class 10 by default.
It is because the Punjab Studying of Punjabi and Different Languages Act, 2008, makes it obligatory for all colleges to show Punjabi as obligatory topic from courses 1 to 10. The regulation additionally empowers the federal government to behave in opposition to erring colleges.
So, in Punjab, college students largely opted for English as Language-1 and Punjabi as Language-2 (two important topics) and Hindi as Language-3 (extra).
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What has modified within the new draft proposed for 2026? Is it the ultimate draft?
The brand new CBSE draft proposing twin exams for sophistication 10 from 2026 has proposed 5 important topics as: English (Language 1), Hindi (Language 2), science, maths and social science. The draft prima facie signifies that Punjabi (or broadly regional languages) is not any extra amongst important 5 topics and solely elective if a scholar desires to review Language-3 and seem for an extra examination.
In response to the draft, the “regional and overseas languages” will now be clubbed in a single group. The draft additionally provides that whereas the examination for “science, maths, social science, Hindi and English” will likely be performed on fastened, separate days as presently, those for “regional and overseas languages will likely be completed in a single go on a single day.” This virtually signifies that a scholar shall seem for Punjabi and French examination on the identical day, therefore limiting the time for preparation and dividing the coed’s consideration.
What additional fueled the controversy Wednesday was that even the point out of Punjabi language was lacking from the checklist of regional languages within the draft. Whereas the languages equivalent to Thai, Telugu, Japanese, French, Kashmiri, Marathi, Gujarati and many others have been talked about within the doc, Punjabi was lacking.
A faculty principal from Ludhiana stated: “So the brand new draft primarily signifies that college students have to review Hindi and English as obligatory languages now. Until now, one important language needed to be both English or Hindi and the second could possibly be any regional language or additionally Hindi. But when this draft is carried out, then college students in Punjab will likely be showing in three language exams- English and Hindi as mandated by the board, and Punjabi as mandated by state’s regulation. Until now, college students largely used to review English and Punjabi as two important languages and a few took Hindi as extra. However because the state civil companies exams additionally mandate clearance in Punjabi, extra opted for Punjabi than Hindi amongst two obligatory languages.”
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How has the CBSE reacted to the uproar?
After the political slugfest, the CBSE was fast to situation an addendum Wednesday stating that Punjabi would proceed to be supplied in regional languages, as earlier than.
An addendum issued by the board’s Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj learn: “That is with regard to the draft coverage for the conduct of two Board Examinations of sophistication X launched by the CBSE on its web site on 25.02.2025. It’s clarified that the checklist of different topics and languages as supplied presently shall proceed to be supplied for 2025-26 as nicely. Thus, along with the languages talked about underneath the checklist of languages.. Punjabi, Russian , Nepali , Limboo, Lepcha , Sindhi, Malayalam , Odia, Assamese, Kannada, Kokborok, Telugu, Arabic and Persian shall proceed to be supplied.”
Nevertheless, in accordance with the varsity principals in Punjab, the board is but to make clear if a regional language could be opted among the many important 5 topics or not, and if Hindi is now obligatory throughout states. “There’s no readability over it as of now,” stated a principal.
What the Punjab regulation states? How is the contemporary notification by AAP authorities completely different?
The Punjab Studying of Punjabi and Different Languages Act, 2008, states: “Punjabi shall be taught as obligatory topic in all colleges from class 1 to 10.” It additional provides: “No board or establishment shall award matriculation certificates to any scholar, until he has handed the tenth class examination in Punjabi topic.”
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After the controversy erupted Wednesday, the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP)-led Punjab authorities issued a contemporary notification, reiterating the provisions of the 2008 Act, with an addition that Punjabi must be taught as “important topic” in all colleges upto class 10, regardless of the board that the varsity is affiliated with.
Talking to The Indian Categorical, Bains stated: “Now we have countered the BJP authorities’s sinister design to get rid of Punjabi from the central academic panorama, legally. In response to the newest notification, the Punjabi must be amongst 5 important topics and solely then the class-10 passing certificates could be legitimate. The Act didn’t specify Punjabi as one of many 5 important topics which we’ve completed now.”
In a letter to union schooling minister Dharmendra Pradhan Thursday, Bains wrote: “The state of Punjab has already mandated Punjabi as a obligatory important topic at school 10 by an official notification. CBSE’s new draft instantly violates the notification. Due to this fact, CBSE should be directed to instantly withdraw the proposed scheme and restore Punjabi as a important topic in Punjab…”
