Ludhiana: Days ahead of board exams, students hauling sandbags
Punjab education minister has suspended school principal, Kuldeep Singh, and dismissed the campus manager
The students at Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Jawahar Nagar, are being made to haul sandbags for ongoing construction work at the premises even as there is less than a month left for their board exams.

According to the information available, Friday was the fourth day when the students at the schools, one of Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) flagship School of Eminence, were aiding construction work instead of attending classes.
On Friday, Punjab education minister suspended the school principal and dismissed the campus manager.
Announcing the suspension, Bains said such incidents will not be tolerated. “A clear warning is issued to all teachers and school heads to avoid such unprofessional behaviour,” Bains added.
Even as the board exams are set to begin on February 19, the students were tasked with hauling construction material, reportedly as punishment for arriving late to the school.
A student who was among those punished, requesting not to be named, said, “Those who came late were punished and made to carry sandbags for the construction of new washrooms. Sometimes, we were made to do this even during recess.”
Kuldeep Singh, the now-suspended principal of the school, said it was the decision of a specific teacher. “I was unaware of this until pictures were brought to my attention. A teacher punished latecomers by assigning them to move sandbags. I have already initiated an inquiry and reported the matter to higher authorities,” Singh said.
District education officer (secondary) Dimple Madan confirmed that an inquiry was initiated into the incident. “The matter was brought to our attention on Friday,” she said.
The institution is part of the ‘school of eminence’ initiative, aimed at fostering literacy, holistic growth and emotional sensitivity among students. However, the incident paints a contradictory image.
Outraged by the incident, parents of the students urged the authorities to ensure stricter oversight on schools and protect students’ academic priorities.
