CBSE Clarifies Amid Outrage Over Punjabi Language 'Removal' From Class 10 Subject List

The CBSE issued a draft policy on Tuesday for the proposed Dual Board Exams for Class 10 from the 2025-26 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The CBSE issued a draft policy on Tuesday for the proposed Dual Board Exams for Class 10 from the 2025-26 academic session.

Source : ABPLIVE AI

After an uproar in Punjab, the CBSE refuted the claims that Punjabi was removed from the board's list of regional language subjects for Class 10.

The CBSE issued a draft policy on Tuesday for the proposed Dual Board Exams for Class 10 from the 2025-26 academic session under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

A letter issued by the board’s Controller of Examinations Sanyam Bhardwaj read, "This is with regard to the draft policy for the conduct of two Board Examinations of class X released by the CBSE on its website on 25.02.2025. It is clarified that the list of other subjects and languages as offered presently shall continue to be offered for 2025-26 as well."

It added, “Thus, in addition to the languages mentioned under the list of languages in point 8 of the draft policy under the heading “Regional and Foreign Languages Group”, Punjabi (004), 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) shall continue to be offered.”

CBSE Draft Rules

The CBSE has approved draft norms which will now be put in the public domain and the stakeholders can submit their feedback by March 9 following which the policy will be finalised, officials said. 

The CBSE directive said that the same centres will be allotted for both the editions, adding that the examination fees will be increased. Under the new proposal, students will also have the option to appear for both examinations if they wish. 

Meanwhile, both the examinations will be based on the full syllabus. The first phase of the examination will be conducted in February-March every year, while the second phase will be held in May of the same year.