Punjabi will be official language of Punjab

Chandigarh, Sep 10 (UNI) In a landmark decision, the Punjab assembly today passed the Bills to accord official language status to Punjab and also make the study of this language compulsory upto class X in all government and private schools in the state.

The two bills---Punjab Learning of Punjabi and other Languages Bill and Punjab Official Language (Amendment) Bill moved by Education and Languages Minister Upinderjit Kaur were passed by voice vote by the House on the concluding day of the monsoon session.

After the Punjab Learning of Punjabi and other Languages Bill, becomes an Act, it would apply equally to the schools affiliated to the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB), Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) and Indian Certificate Secondary Examination (ICSE) throughout Punjab from the next academic year.

Similarly as per the Punjab Official Language (Amendment) Bill, all the official work in the government offices and semi-government institutions would be carried on in Punjabi. All official correspondence and the official work in all Colleges and Universities and judicial courts in the state would also be carried in Punjabi.

According to the Punjab Learning of Punjabi and other Languages Bill, no board or institution shall award matricultaion degree to any student, unleass he or she has passed the 10th class examination in Punjabi subject. Hindi shall be taught as a compulsory subject in all schools from 3rd standard to 7th standard from the next academic year.

Any school, which contravenes the provisions of this Bill for a month for the first time, shall be liable for a penalty of Rs 25,000.

The penalty would go upton Rs 50,000 for the second month and therefater it would go upto Rs one lakh for the third time or month.

If a school continues to make contravention of the provisions of this Bill and rules made thereunder beyond a period of one year, the state government may, direct the concerened board or institution to disaffiliate the said school. No oenalty would be imposed without hearing the school management and the penalty shall be recoverable as arrears of land revenue.

MORE UNI HS MMS2045