The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that Punjabi will be included as a regional language in the new draft of its twice-a-year board exam scheme, which will be implemented next year. The announcement came after political leaders in Punjab raised concerns over the alleged exclusion of Punjabi from the scheme.
A senior CBSE official confirmed that there will be no change to the subjects currently offered and assured that the list presented in the draft scheme was indicative. The official also stated that Punjabi will be added to the examination options for the 2025-26 academic session, alongside other regional and foreign languages.
The clarification follows strong criticism from Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who had accused the CBSE of attempting to remove Punjabi as a second language in board exams for Classes 10 and 12. Bains had urged the CBSE to include Punjabi as the main regional language in Punjab and across the nation, highlighting its widespread use in several states.
Leaders from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), including Parambans Romana, also voiced concerns over the potential erasure of Punjabi from the curriculum. Romana questioned whether the exclusion of Punjabi was part of a deliberate agenda and criticized the government for not defending the language.
The CBSE’s proposed changes, which include a range of regional and foreign languages such as Rai, Urung, Tamang, and Sanskrit, had initially excluded Punjabi from the list, sparking protests. However, the board has now assured that the language will be reinstated in the final version of the scheme.
The twice-a-year board exam format, which aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, is aimed at reducing academic pressure and providing students with the opportunity to improve their scores.
