Following massive backlash over the alleged removal of Punjabi as a language option in the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) draft scheme for the biannual exam format for Class 10, the board has issued a clarification, reassuring that the language will continue to be offered. The clarification came after political leaders and social media users raised concerns over the apparent exclusion of Punjabi from the regional languages list for the 2025-26 examinations.

In a statement posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), Dr Satyam Bhardwaj, the Controller of Examinations at CBSE, clarified that the list of languages mentioned in the draft scheme was merely indicative. He emphasised that all subjects and languages currently offered will continue to be available in the 2025-26 examinations, including Punjabi. “It is clarified that the list of other subjects and languages contained in the draft date sheet is only indicative, and all subjects and languages as offered presently shall continue to be offered for 2025-26 as well,” the statement read.

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The CBSE official went on to list Punjabi (004), along with other regional and foreign languages such as 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), confirming their inclusion in the regional and foreign languages group.

The controversy began when an earlier notification from CBSE for the upcoming board exams in the new biannual format appeared to omit Punjabi from the list of regional languages. The draft scheme had included languages like Rai, Urung, Tamang, Sherpa, Sanskrit, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, Tibetan, Bhoti, Bodo, Tangkhul, Bhutia, Kashmiri, Mizo, and Thai but failed to list Punjabi.

The perceived omission sparked outrage among political leaders, particularly from Punjab. Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains took to X to strongly criticise the CBSE for excluding Punjabi from the list, calling it an attempt to erase the language. “We strongly object to CBSE’s new exam pattern scheme, which attempts to erase Punjabi! Punjabi must be designated as the main language in Punjab and further be included as a regional language in CBSE for the rest of the nation, as it is spoken and read across multiple states. Any attack on Punjabi will not be tolerated!” Bains wrote.

The decision also drew criticism from opposition leaders. Senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira condemned what he called the “gross discrimination” against Punjabi, asserting that the language, spoken widely in Punjab and other states, deserved better recognition. “We also condemn the National Education Policy for ignoring Punjabi, a widely spoken language not only in Punjab but all over India!” Khaira posted, adding that the BJP government was attacking Punjabi language and culture.

Former Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal also expressed strong disapproval of the CBSE’s decision, calling for immediate restoration of Punjabi as a regional language in the curriculum. “Punjabi is our mother tongue, spoken and read across various states and many countries worldwide. This attack on our mother tongue will not be tolerated, and Akali Dal will strongly oppose this move,” Badal said in a statement.

Olympian and Congress MLA Pargat Singh also weighed in on the issue, linking the exclusion of Punjabi to the central government’s National Education Policy. Singh criticised the Punjab government for remaining silent on the matter, accusing both the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of undermining the rights of the state and its language. “This is a major attack on Punjab and our mother tongue,” he said.