Chandigarh (September 8, 2010): Law students agitated by Bar Council of India’s decision not to allow Law Graduates in Punjab to opt Punjabi as their medium for Lawyers’ eligibility test scheduled to be held on December 5, have approached Dr. Upinderjeet Kaur, Education Minister of Punjab, to seek her intervention in this matter. A delegation led by SSF National President Parmjeet Singh Gazi, today met Dr. Upinderjeet Kaur at her Sector 2 based official residence and raised their concern. Other members of the delegation were Advocate Parvinder Singh Aujla, Jarman Singh (a Law graduate), Akashdeep Singh (Law Student) and Harjeet Singh (a research fellow at Punjabi University). In memorandum tendered to the minister on the occasion, it is said that: “Officially, nine languages, including Hindi, Tamil, Telgu, Kannar, Marathi, Bengali, Gujrati, Oriya and English, have been recognized for the test. Punjabi is not included in the list.”
In Punjab various institutions, duly approved by the BCI, are providing legal education in Punjabi medium. Moreover Punjabi is official language of the State and work of lower courts is also conducted in Punjabi. “When BCI has recognized the allotment of Law degrees in Punjabi language, there is not reason to exclude the language from being a medium for the eligibility test” said PS Gazi.
Delegation also raised its concern that the disputed decision of BCI would not only affect Law students, rather it is bound to hamper the development of Punjabi language as a medium of instruction for professional courses. “Law students, who are pursuing their studies in Punjabi, are already facing many problems including unavailability of academic sources, such as text books, statues and text of decisions of higher courts in Punjabi language. BCI’s decision would raise unnecessary doubts in their minds regarding viability of education in Punjabi language.” said Advocate Parvinder Singh Aujla and Jarman Singh.
“Dr. Upinderjeet Kaur has listened to the matter very carefully and has assured us that ‘appropriate and timely action’ shall be taken in this regard.” informed Akashdeep Singh and Harjeet Singh.