Ludhiana: Response sought from four unrecognised schools

Among the institutes are Maa Sharda School, Bright Future School and Gopal Vatika School, all in Giaspura, besides another branch of Maa Sharda School in government flats

The district education officer (elementary education) came across several private educational institutions operating without the mandatory recognition under the Right to Education (RTE) Act during surprise checks on Tuesday. The exercise was aimed at cracking down on unrecognised schools, officials said.

An education official interacts with residents to make them admit their wards in government schools. (HT Photo)

Notices were issued to Maa Sharda School, Bright Future School and Gopal Vatika School, all in Giaspura, besides another branch of Maa Sharda School in government flats, said district education officer (elementary) Ravinder Kaur. The schools have been asked to submit their responses in two days and further action will be taken accordingly, officials said, adding they discovered that none of these schools had applied for RTE recognition and also they were sans documentation from the district education office.

The DEO said, “The inspection revealed alarming conditions. Students were being taught in overcrowded and poorly ventilated rooms with inadequate furniture. Many classrooms lacked basic infrastructure, such as desks, clean drinking water and hygienic toilets. There was also a clear absence of trained teachers, raising concerns about the quality of education being provided.”

“Many of the students enrolled in these institutions were over the age of 15 and still studying in primary-level classes, a violation of age-specific provisions under the Right to Education Act,” she said.

Alongside the inspections, the education department also pushed forward with its 2025-26 school admission campaign. The DEO led the campaign at government flats in Giaspura, creating awareness among parents and local residents. The campaign resulted in over 102 children being enrolled in Government Primary School, Lohara, and 19 more at Government Primary School, Giaspura, on the spot.

“The appeal was met with a positive response as many parents agreed to shift their children to government-run institutions, recognising the need for quality and regulated education,” said Kaur.

The inspection and admission drive were supported by key education officials, including Vishal Mittal (MIS coordinator), Major Singh, Baldev Singh (Sudhar), Rajinder Kumar, Swarnjeet Kaur (CHT, Dhandari Kalan School), and Avtar Singh (Government Primary School, Lohara).