Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena has expressed grave concerns over the neglect of Punjabi, one of Delhi’s official languages, in government schools. His comments follow a status report submitted by the Punjabi Academy of the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) highlighting significant deficiencies.
The report was initiated after the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) raised concerns, prompting the LG Secretariat to request an assessment from the Department of Art, Culture, and Language (ACL). However, Saxena criticized the report as incomplete and inconclusive, directing the Chief Secretary to conduct a thorough investigation and engage all stakeholders to address the gaps.
Key issues highlighted include:
- Severe Teacher Shortage:
- 752 posts for TGT (Trained Graduate Teacher) Punjabi and 4 posts for PGT (Post Graduate Teacher) Punjabi remain vacant in GNCTD schools.
- MCD schools also face a critical shortage of Punjabi teachers, directly affecting the quality of language education.
- Budget Constraints:
- The Punjabi Academy spent only Rs 19.99 crore of its Rs 27.28 crore allocation during FY 2023-24.
- A 17% reduction in the Academy’s budget this fiscal year has hindered its ability to promote Punjabi language and culture effectively.
- Declining Support for Punjabi Language:
- Concerns include insufficient efforts by authorities to meet the objectives of the Punjabi Academy, established under the Delhi Official Language Act, 2000.
Saxena emphasized the urgent need for corrective measures to address statutory responsibilities toward promoting Punjabi language, literature, and culture in Delhi. He directed the ACL Department to identify gaps, ensure timely corrective measures, and examine current teacher vacancies and efforts to address deficiencies.
This neglect, according to the LG, threatens linguistic diversity and cultural understanding, especially in a city where Punjabi is one of the official languages. He called for a time-bound action plan to uphold the language’s cultural and educational significance.
This move highlights the growing concern among stakeholders about preserving Delhi’s linguistic heritage and ensuring equitable representation of all official languages in the education system.