Academic session on, schools of eminence in Ludhiana yet to welcome new batch

Teachers at 16 government schools have received no instructions regarding the modalities and number of students who will be inducted in each school

Already a month into the new academic session, the government schools selected under the School of Eminence scheme are yet to welcome the new batch of students from Class 9 and Class 11 as the process to commence the classes at these schools remains overshadowed by uncertainty.

The entrance exams for the scheme launched amid much fanfare were conducted on April 16 for Class 11 and on March 26 for Class 9 after being postponed on two occasions. (HT File Photo)

The entrance exams for the scheme launched amid much fanfare were conducted on April 16 for Class 11 and on March 26 for Class 9 after being postponed on two occasions. While the list of Class 9 students who have qualified for the SOE test has been released, teachers at 16 government schools have received no instructions regarding the modalities and the number of students who will be inducted in each school.

No major infrastructural updates and additional staff have been provided to the schools as per the announcements. The education department had also announced that classes other than from 9 to 12 will be discontinued at the schools, the decision was cancelled after the department could not find a solution to accommodate the students at other nearby government schools.

The current state of affairs has left the teachers at senior secondary schools and as well as students who are hoping to get admission into the schools in a tizzy. Out of the total 117 selected schools, 16 fall in the district.

Prabhkirat Singh, a resident of Punjabi Bagh, said, “I was elated to know that a school close to my residence is being upgraded into the school of eminence. I appeared for the entrance exam for Class 9 in March.”

He said as he is currently studying in a private school, he is confused whether he should take readmission at the same school or wait for the admission process to begin.

Sonakshi, a government school student, said that even though GSSS, Sekhewal ,which is among the schools selected under the scheme is 10 km away from home, she had appeared for the entrance test and was confident that she would get admission, but has received no update.

A government school principal of one of the selected schools requesting anonymity said, “As per the proposed plan under the eminence scheme, only 30 students will be taught in each classroom. The school which has students from classes 6 to 12, is already running in two shifts”. He said launching the scheme without providing the required infrastructure and staff will only add to the pressure on school staff.

He added that as the summer vacations will also start from June 1, the admission process is expected to be delayed until July.

An education department official said that the government will organise a training session for staff members at these schools at Guru Nanak Dev University.

District education officer (secondary) Harjit Singh said the department is trying its best to complete the process before the summer vacations. He said the results of Class 11 will also be announced soon after which seats will be allocated to each school. He said the process to allocate funds for infrastructure and staff is also underway.

The schools which have been selected are GGSSS Shaheed-E-Azam Sukhdev Thapar, GMSSS Miller Ganj, GSSS Doraha, GSSS Jagraon, GSSS Sahnewal, GGSSS Khanna, GSSS Mundian Kalan, GSSS Gill, GSSS Samrala, GMSSS Model Town, GSSS Baddowal Cantt, GSSS Division no three, GSSS Jawahar Nagar, GSSS Indra Puri, GSSS Dadhahur, and GSSS Sekhewal.

In these classes, 75% of seats have been reserved for government school students while 25% of students will be selected from other schools.