IEP Chandigarh, July 22
Punjab School Education and Language Minister Harjot Singh Bains informed that Amity International School, Sector 79, has been directed to pay fine of Rs. 50,000 for not teaching Punjabi as a compulsory subject. Giving detailed information in this regard, School Education Minister Bains said that it came to the notice of the Education Department that Punjabi was not being taught as a compulsory subject by the school and the Director School Education issued a show cause letter to the concerned private school. During the hearing, it came to fore that in violation of the NOC given by the Punjab government to the private school and the instruction contained in Page 2 Series No. 3 of ‘The Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Act 2008’ was being violated. He said that Amity International School has been fined Rs 50,000 for the first violation of the conditions as per the rules of ‘The Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Amendment Act 2021’ and the concerned school has been instructed to deposit the penalty amount within five days and submit the report. Bains said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not spare the schools adopting any kind of apathy towards mother tongue Punjabi and will take strict action against them. He also instructed the rest of the private schools to ensure that Punjabi should be taught as compulsorily subject. Giving more information in this regard, School Education Minister Bains said that it came to the notice of the Education Department that Punjabi language was not being taught as a compulsory subject by the said school and acting upon it, the Director School Education issued a letter to the concerned private school. A hearing was called. During the hearing, it came to light that in violation of the NOC given by the Punjab government to the private school and the instruction contained in Page 2 Series No. 3 of ‘The Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Act 2008’ is being violated. He said that for this reason Amity International School has been fined Rs 50,000 for the first violation of the conditions as per the rules of ‘The Punjab Learning of Punjabi and Other Languages Amendment Act 2021’ and the concerned school has been instructed to Deposit the penalty amount within five days and submit the report. S. Bains said that the Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann will not spare the schools adopting any kind of apathy towards Punjabi language and will take strict action against them. He also instructed the rest of the private schools to ensure that Punjabi subject is taught compulsorily.
