The Punjab government declared Punjabi a mandatory subject in all state schools, claiming it was removed from the CBSE’s regional language list for Class 10. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains accused the CBSE and the BJP-led Centre of plotting against Punjabi, asserting that without Punjabi as a main subject, certificates would be deemed invalid. The CBSE refuted this, clarifying that Punjabi remains on the subject list for 2025-2026. The board also announced a new system allowing students to take Class 10 exams twice a year, aiming to reduce pressure and improve performance. Feedback on the proposed changes is invited.
Chandigarh:
The Punjab government announced on Wednesday that Punjabi will now be a compulsory subject in all schools within the state, citing its alleged removal from the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) list of regional languages for Class 10. However, the CBSE has denied these claims, affirming that the subject will remain available.
Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains accused the BJP-led Union government and the CBSE of omitting Punjabi from the Class 10 subjects list in the newly drafted guidelines for the biannual board exams, describing it as a “well-planned conspiracy” against Punjab and its language.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader stated that his department has issued a new notification confirming that Punjabi will be a core subject in Class 10 across the state. He noted that if Punjabi is not a core subject in any school, the certificate will be deemed “null and void,” emphasizing that this decision will extend to all educational boards in the state.
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Mr. Bains pointed out that the CBSE’s draft guidelines categorize Science, Maths, Social Science, Hindi, and English as primary subjects for Class 10, while regional languages and foreign languages are grouped separately from other subjects.
He further mentioned that Punjabi had been excluded from the list of regional languages.
“This indicates that Punjabi is not classified as a primary subject. The main regional language has effectively been eliminated,” he stated during a press conference.
[Live] Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains addressing a press conference at Punjab Bhawan, Chd
https://t.co/jcncFqntn8
— Government of Punjab (@PbGovtIndia) February 26, 2025
Mr. Bains noted that Punjabi is widely spoken in various states, including Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
“Punjabi is more than just a language; it represents our rich cultural heritage, spoken and valued by millions throughout the nation,” he remarked, adding that the current scenario seems like an effort to diminish Punjabi’s presence in the educational sector.
CBSE’s Clarification On Punjabi Subject Row
In response to the AAP minister’s comments, the CBSE issued a statement refuting his assertions regarding the removal of Punjabi from its list of regional language subjects for Class 10.
It clarified that the subjects and languages listed in the draft timetable are indicative only and that all subjects currently being offered will continue to be available for the 2025-2026 academic year,” said CBSE Examination Controller Sanyam Bhardwaj in an official announcement.
“Therefore, in addition to the languages mentioned in point 8 of the draft policy under the section “Regional and Foreign languages group,” Punjabi (004), Russian (021), Nepali (024), Limboo (025), Lepcha (026), Sindhi (008), Malayalam (012), Odia (013), Assamese (014), Kannada (015), Kokborok (091), Telugu (007), Arabic (016), and Persian (023) will remain available,” he added.
CBSE’s Draft Norms For Conducting Class 10 Board Exams Twice
On Tuesday, the CBSE approved draft norms for conducting Class 10 board exams twice a year. As per the draft, Class 10 students will be able to take their board exams twice in an academic session or opt for one of two — one in February and the other in May — starting in 2026.
The first phase is scheduled from February 17 to March 6, while the second will take place from May 5 to May 20. Students will also have the option to sit for both phases.
Students can choose to skip specific subjects in the second attempt if they feel satisfied with their performance in the first, and they may also skip certain subjects in the first phase.
The National Education Policy (NEP) recommended that all students be allowed to take exams on up to two occasions in any given school year to mitigate the “high stakes” nature of board exams.
The CBSE has clarified that there will be no separate supplementary exam under this system. Instead, the second phase will act as the supplementary exam for those students wishing to enhance their scores.
The draft norms will now be made public, and stakeholders can submit their feedback by March 9, after which the policy will be finalized.