Connecting Youth to Roots: Big Step by Mann Govt to Save Punjabi; Every School Book to Feature Gurmukhi

Chandigarh, December 25, 2025: The Punjab Government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has decided to make a big change in the state’s education system. To help the new generation stay connected to their mother tongue and the Gurmukhi script, the Education Department has made a historic decision. Starting from the 2026-27 school year, every language textbook—whether it is English or Hindi—from Class 1 to Class 12 will now include a special page for the Gurmukhi alphabet.

This plan is more than just a school update; it is a mission to bring Punjab’s culture into every home. These new books are being prepared by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) and will reach about 60 lakh students in government, aided, and private schools. Often, because of the heavy focus on English-medium education, children were moving away from their own script. Now, whenever a student opens an English or Hindi book, the first thing they will see is the Gurmukhi alphabet. By placing Gurmukhi letters right alongside or below the Hindi and English alphabets, the government is sending a clear message that 'Oora-Aira' holds the highest place in Punjab.

Recent surveys and reports from 'Pratham' (ASER) showed a worrying fact that many students were having trouble reading the Gurmukhi script properly. Taking these facts seriously, Chief Minister Mann directed the Education Department not to keep Punjabi limited to just one subject but to make it a part of a student’s daily life. While these letters will be at the start and end of Punjabi books, their presence in other language books will help leave a deep mark of the mother tongue on the minds of the students.

This move by the Punjab Government is a great gift for parents and elders who were worried about their children losing touch with their roots. This effort shows that the current government is not only giving children a modern education but also teaching them to be proud of their heritage. This decision will help improve language skills across the state and make every Punjabi student a true protector of their mother tongue.