Punjabi, all regional language put under minor category for 'administrative convenience': CBSE on Channi's 'biased exclusion' claim

New Delhi [India], October 22 : The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Friday reacted to Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi's tweet opposing CBSE's decision to keep Punjabi out of main subjects and said that all the regional languages offered are put under the minor category for the purpose of 'administrative convenience'.
"It is clarified that the classification of subjects has been done purely on the administrative ground for the purpose of the conduct of Term-I Examinations based on the number of candidates appearing in the subject and in no way reflects the importance of subjects as major or minor," CBSE stated in a statement.
The board added that every subject is equally important from the academic point of view, and "Punjabi is one of the regional languages being offered. All the regional languages have been put under the minor category for the purpose of administrative convenience in relation to the logistics required for the conduct of examinations."
On October 20, CBSE declared the date sheet for Term-I examinations of the major subjects for classes X and XII on its official website.
Channi took to Twitter and said, "I firmly oppose the CBSE's authoritarian decision to keep Punjabi out of the main subjects. This is against the federal spirit of the Constitution, violating the right of Punjabi youth to learn their native language. I condemn this biased exclusion of Punjabi."
The board had released the date sheet for minor exams for both classes for the upcoming CBSE Term-I examination, wherein it listed Punjabi as one of the minor subjects for Class X, along with other regional languages.
Class X exams for minor subjects will begin on November 17 whereas Class XII exams from November 16. CBSE Class X major exams will be held between November 30 to December 11, while class XII exams will be held from December 1 to 22.