JALANDHAR — A serious controversy has erupted over the marginalization of the Punjabi language at an Army Public School in Punjab. According to recent reports, the school administration has made Sanskrit a compulsory subject effective May 5, systematically pushing the native Punjabi language to the margins.
School authorities have reportedly asked parents to sign a formal declaration consenting to whether they wish their children to study Punjabi strictly as an “additional subject.” This move has sparked massive outrage among parents, educators, and language activists across the state.
Direct Violation of State Laws and NEP 2020
The decision executed under the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) is facing severe backlash for being a direct violation of the Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Act, 2008. Under this state law, the teaching of Punjabi is legally mandated as a compulsory subject in all schools across the state up to the 10th standard.
Furthermore, education experts point out that this mandate contradicts the core principles of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020) and the National Curriculum Framework (NCF). Both national frameworks heavily emphasize and promote mother-tongue-based education. Depriving students in Punjab of their native language is being viewed as a significant setback to these educational goals.
Infringement on Students’ Rights
By enforcing Sanskrit and relegating Punjabi to a fourth optional choice, the school’s circular is being criticized for infringing on the psychological freedom and linguistic rights of the students. While NEP-2020 advocates for a flexible curriculum that allows students to choose subjects based on their interests, the new policy imposed by the school strips away this autonomy.
Adding to the parents’ distress is a controversial caveat in the new policy: if fewer than 15 students opt for Punjabi as an additional subject, the school will not appoint a Punjabi teacher. In such a scenario, students would be forced to study their mother tongue independently at home, effectively discouraging them from choosing the subject altogether.
Demands for CBSE and Government Intervention
The implementation of this policy has created an atmosphere of deep concern among parents. Educators and local communities are actively raising their voices against this linguistic discrimination, while also questioning the conspicuous silence of the Punjab State Government on the matter.
Stakeholders are now urgently demanding that the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and the Punjab Government take strict, immediate notice of this issue. They are urging authorities to intervene and ensure that Army Schools situated within Punjab strictly adhere to the state’s official language policies, safeguarding the compulsory education of the Punjabi language for all local students.
