CHANDIGARH, May 11: — Cultural activists and political leaders in Punjab are seeking a review of the latest language guidelines issued by the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES). The new framework reportedly mandates Sanskrit for students in Classes 6 to 8 while shifting Punjabi to an elective category, a move that opponents declare is inconsistent with the National Education Policy’s emphasis on multilingualism.
The Punjab Chetna Manch, a forum of writers and activists, stated that the reported structure does not align with the spirit of the National Curriculum Framework. They maintained that the move creates unnecessary hurdles for students wishing to learn their native language, as it now requires a formal consent slip from parents for enrollment in Punjabi classes.
“Giving priority to other languages while ignoring Punjabi in Punjab is unfair to children,” stated scholar Ramesh Yadav. He asserted that the mother tongue must remain a priority for schools operating in the region to ensure cultural and linguistic continuity for the youth.
Military sources affirmed that the 140 Army Public Schools across India follow a standardized NCERT curriculum to assist students moving between different states. They noted that the inclusion of Sanskrit as a mandatory third language is part of a pan-India administrative solution to simplify academic transitions for defense families.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) and other activists have voiced strong opposition, stating that federal policies should not override regional linguistic laws. They affirmed that a letter has been sent to Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, urging a formal clarification on the matter to safeguard the status of Punjabi in the state’s classrooms.
