Five government senior-secondary schools in Chandigarh are functioning without sanctioned posts of principals, with senior-most lecturers handling their administrative responsibilities as the education department awaits approval from the ministry of education for creation of these posts.
The schools are GMSSS Kaimbwala, GMSSS Sector 56, GMSSS Sector 39-C, GMSSS Sector 28 and GMSSS Sector 45-C. According to the department, lecturers have been given additional charge to oversee the day-to-day administration of these schools in the absence of regular principal posts.
Beyond empty chairs
Principal posts have not been sanctioned for these schools, leaving the education department to rely on an interim arrangement for their day-to-day administration. The arrangement has continued even as the schools operate at the senior-secondary level, with principals normally responsible for academic supervision, staff administration, examinations, financial matters and coordination with the department.
The department has now moved to address the structural gap by seeking creation of principal posts from the ministry. The director of school education Nitish Singla said that the proposal letter seeking creation of these posts has already been sent to the ministry of education. A meeting regarding the matter was also held in Delhi on Monday, Singla said.
Under the existing arrangement, the senior-most lecturers in the respective schools have been given charge of administrative responsibilities. This means lecturers with the primary role of teaching at the senior-secondary level, are also handling the functions associated with heading the school.
{{/usCountry}}Under the existing arrangement, the senior-most lecturers in the respective schools have been given charge of administrative responsibilities. This means lecturers with the primary role of teaching at the senior-secondary level, are also handling the functions associated with heading the school.
{{/usCountry}}The development comes even as Chandigarh’s school system has been dealing with broader shortages in senior-secondary teaching and leadership.
In September 2025, the education department promoted 20 teachers as principals after a gap of nearly five years, indicating the longer-standing gaps in the school leadership cadre.