Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena expressed deep concern over the neglect of the Punjabi language in government schools
New Delhi: The disregard for Punjabi, one of Delhi’s official languages, at government schools in the nation’s capital has drawn the serious and profound concern of Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena.
According to the LG Office, Saxena has pointed out several flaws in a status report on the state of the Punjabi language that was provided by the Punjabi Academy, GNCTD, and requested a comprehensive reexamination.
After the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) submitted a submission to the LG, the LG Secretariat transmitted the report to ACL, which was then posted by the Punjabi Academy, Department of Art, Culture, and Language, GNCTD.
After noticing that the department’s report is lacking, ambiguous, and does not fully address the issues brought up by DSGMC, Saxena has directed the chief secretary to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the matter and consult with all relevant parties.
According to a press statement from the LG Office, the ACL Department should have first asked these agencies for information on the open Punjabi teaching positions and the steps taken to remedy any shortcomings.
A number of stakeholders have already brought up important issues with the LG, such as the acute lack of Punjabi instructors in Delhi government and MCD schools, declining financing, etc.
According to the LG Office, Punjabi Academy could only spend Rs 19.99 crore out of the little Rs 27.28 crore allotted to it during FY 2023–2024, despite the fact that 752 TGT Punjabi and 4 PGT Punjabi positions are still open in the Schools of Education Department, GNCTD.
The budgetary allotment for the Punjabi Academy has been cut by 17% for the current fiscal year. In the same vein, there are still many open Punjabi teacher vacancies in MCD schools.
The quality of Punjabi language instruction has been severely influenced by this severe teacher shortage, which has impeded pupils’ ability to acquire language proficiency and cultural awareness.
According to the press release, Saxena has also noted that the Punjabi Academy’s overall efforts to achieve the goals and objectives for which it was founded have not been taken seriously by the relevant authorities, which has a negative impact on the development, promotion, and propagation of Punjabi, the second official language in Delhi according to the Delhi Official Language Act of 2000, as well as its literature and culture.
In accordance with current legislation and rules, LG Saxena has observed that in order to guarantee the fulfillment of statutory obligations towards the Punjabi language, literature, and culture in Delhi, gap areas may be identified and the required remedial actions may be carried out in a timely way.
