Whose knowledge counts? : Cultural literacy and epistemic justice in rural classrooms of Punjab

Whose knowledge counts? : Cultural literacy and epistemic justice in rural classrooms of Punjab Preksha and Kaur, Kanwalpreet creator text Economic & Political Weekly monographic eng 61(25), Jun 20, 2026: p.127-134 What does it mean for a child in a Punjabi village to see their language, history and knowledge left out of the classroom? This study explores how cultural literacy and epistemic justice are essential to achieving the inclusive vision of India’s National Education Policy 2020. Conducted in rural schools of Mohali, Punjab, it draws on concepts such as Freire’s critical pedagogy, Fricker’s epistemic injustice and Santos’s knowledge pluralism. Findings reveal that English-dominated schooling often marginalises students’ local knowledge and voices. Although culturally responsive practices demonstrate transformative potential, exam pressure, rigid curricula and language hierarchies continue to limit meaningful inclusion and educational equity.- Reproduced https://www.epw.in/journal/2026/25/special-articles/whose-knowledge-counts.html Economic & Political Weekly 260713