GNDU approves Punjabi-first policy, makes Punjabi central to Higher Education and Research
Babushahi Bureau
Amritsar (Punjab), January 28, 2026: In a landmark move aimed at making higher education more inclusive and socially connected, Guru Nanak Dev University (GNDU), Amritsar, has approved the Punjabi-First Education, Research and Governance Policy 2026, placing Punjabi (Gurmukhi) at the core of teaching, research and academic governance—while fully retaining global academic standards.
Announcing the decision, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Karamjeet Singh said the policy seeks to reconnect universities with society by ensuring that knowledge is created and shared in the language people understand best.
He said GNDU will now require major academic research, including PhD theses, dissertations, project reports and funded research, to be submitted both in the primary academic language—usually English—and in Punjabi (Gurmukhi).
Prof. Karamjeet Singh explained that the objective is to ensure that knowledge generated in Punjab is accessible not only to the global academic community but also to Punjabi-speaking students, educators, policymakers and citizens.
He clarified that Punjabi submissions will be academically sound, faithful to the original research and evaluated for clarity and accuracy, without penalising students for stylistic variations.
Highlighting the broader impact, the Vice-Chancellor said the policy would particularly benefit students from rural, border and first-generation backgrounds, while enabling research in areas such as agriculture, health, education, environment and entrepreneurship to reach a wider audience across Punjab.
To support effective implementation, GNDU will establish Punjabi academic glossaries, a writing and citation guide, a dedicated Academic Support Unit, and a bilingual digital research repository. The policy will be rolled out in phases over three years and aligns closely with the National Education Policy 2020, which promotes multilingualism and mother-tongue learning.
The Punjabi-First Education, Research and Governance Policy 2026 will come into force from the next academic session, reaffirming GNDU’s commitment to academic excellence, cultural leadership and social inclusion.