The minister emphasised the Olympiad's broader purpose.
3rd International Punjabi Language Olympiad 2025: Over 2.25 Lakh Students Worldwide Celebrate Punjabi Heritage
The “Punjab School Education Board (PSEB)” is going to organise the “3rd International Punjabi Language Olympiad”. There has been a big leap in participation. 225,916 students have registered for participation from India and the world. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has described this record-breaking response in terms of participation as a “dream coming true” for the testament of the revival of the Punjabi language.
Bains emphasised that "In the previous editions, there were 24,698 and 6,689, respectively, with this year's 225,916 registrations. This is a near ninefold massive leap. It highlights a 'revival of interest in the Punjabi language among youth'." Students from countries including "Norway, Kenya, and the UAE", as well as Indian states such as "Maharashtra, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand", have signed up, reflecting the "Olympiad's global reach".
The minister emphasised the Olympiad’s broader purpose: “This competition is more than testing language skills; it is a celebration of our ‘identity, mother tongue, and cultural heritage.’” It is an initiative to keep the Punjabi language and culture alive.
To encourage excellence, “top performers in each category—Primary, Middle, and Secondary—will receive Rs 11,000 for first place, Rs 7,100 for second, and Rs 5,100 for third.” Special awards and recognition will also be conferred upon schools producing top achievers, fostering healthy institutional competition.
“Dr. Amarpal Singh, PSEB Chairman”, shared that registration closed on 31 October. PSEB provided e-books and conducted a “mock test window from 10–12 November” to familiarize students with the “online testing pattern”,, “1,35,784 students” took part in it. One more round of practice tests for elementary-level students will be held on “15–16 November”.
The Olympiad itself will be held via online mode in three rounds,with “5 December (Primary), 6 December (Middle), and 8 December (Secondary)”, followed by Round 2 on “15–16 December” and the final on “23 December 2025”.To ensure the “integrity of the competition”,Advanced monitoring technology will be used.
With “record participation, global engagement, and incentives”, this year’s Olympiad is shaping up to be a “landmark celebration of Punjabi language and culture”, connecting students worldwide to their roots and reinforcing the “vibrancy of the Punjabi diaspora”.
