Punjab: Now, all books in all languages will have a separate page for Gurmukhi script.
Punjab: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the Punjab Education Department has decided to improve students’ reading skills in the Gurmukhi script. From the upcoming academic session, all language textbooks in Punjabi, Hindi, and English will include a page of Gurmukhi script letters. Covering approximately 60 lakh students from classes 1 to XII in government, government-aided, private, and other schools, this initiative aims to enhance reading skills in the Gurmukhi script. These books are being printed by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB). This year’s ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) report found that approximately 15 percent of Class III students in both government and private schools could only read letters in the Gurmukhi script, not words, and 4.6 percent could not even read Punjabi letters.
A survey on children’s learning levels in rural Punjab revealed that 28 percent of Class III students could read Class I-level text, while only 34 percent could read Class II-level text. It was also found that out of every 100 students in classes III to VIII in government schools in Punjab, only 47 could read a complete story in their mother tongue (Punjabi). Twenty-one could read up to a paragraph, 17 could read a sentence, nine could only read words, while nine others could barely do so, and six could only recognize letters. Department officials said that after analyzing the language papers given by students of different classes, it was felt that there was a need to improve students’ reading skills in Gurmukhi. In Punjabi language textbooks, the Gurmukhi letters will be printed before the introduction and at the back of the books. For Hindi and English textbooks, the Gurmukhi letters will be printed below the letters of the respective languages. PSEB Chairman Dr. Amar Pal Singh said that the aim is to attract the students’ attention whenever they open the books. This additional feature will be included in the language textbooks from the upcoming academic session 2026-2027.
