Punjab Makes Punjabi Mandatory in Schools Amid CBSE Language Row

Chandigarh- The Punjab government has made Punjabi a mandatory subject in all schools across the state, citing concerns over its exclusion from the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) list of regional language subjects for Class 10. However, the CBSE has refuted the claim, stating that Punjabi remains a part of its curriculum.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains accused the BJP-led central government and CBSE of a “well-planned conspiracy” against the Punjabi language. He alleged that under CBSE’s new draft norms for the Class 10 board exams, Punjabi was omitted from the list of main subjects.

To counter this, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has issued a fresh notification making Punjabi a compulsory subject in Class 10 across all educational boards in the state. Bains warned that certificates from schools that fail to implement this rule would be deemed “null and void.”

The controversy erupted after CBSE’s draft norms placed regional and foreign languages in a separate category from core subjects like Science, Maths, Social Science, Hindi, and English. Bains argued that this classification diminishes the importance of Punjabi.

However, CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj dismissed these allegations, stating that the draft policy is only indicative and that all existing subjects, including Punjabi, will continue to be offered in 2025-26.

Meanwhile, CBSE has introduced new norms allowing Class 10 students to take board exams twice a year from 2026, with the option to retain their best scores. The draft policy is open for public feedback until March 9 before final approval.