Chandigarh: Punjabi language has been made a compulsory subject for all students from class I to X in Punjab, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi informed on Friday. He further added that schools will be fined up to Rs 2 lakhs for violation of the order. In a recent move, the Punjabi language has also been made mandatory in offices. Punjabi will now be written on top of all the boards in the state.
The Punjab cabinet on Thursday passed 15 bills including two significant bills related to the Punjabi language which included ‘Punjabi and Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021’ and ‘Punjab State Language (Amendment) Bill 2021’. Punjabi and Other Languages Education (Amendment) Bill, 2021, makes Punjabi a compulsory subject for all students from Classes 1-10 in schools across the state. It also provides for levying of fine on educational institutions not complying with this mandate, of up to Rs 2 lakh.
According to the bill, if any school violates the provisions of the Act or the rules made under it the first time for more than one month, the institute shall be liable to a fine of Rs. 50,000. Likewise, if they violate for the second time for more than one month, schools shall be liable to a fine of Rs. 1 lakh. Similarly, violation of the act for the third time exceeding one month, schools will be fined 2 lakh.
