News / Author / Akanksha Attri

Akanksha Attri

Articles by Akanksha Attri

Punjab education dept collecting data on special educators after SC directive

The Punjab education department has started collecting data to assess the number of special educators currently employed and the total count of children with special needs enrolled in government schools

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 14, 2025 06:56 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri

Ludhiana: Govt school teachers yet to get February salaries

The crisis deepens as general provident fund (GPF) payments have also been put on hold, creating panic among teachers

School education administrative secretary Anindita Mitra has promised prompt resolution. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 14, 2025 06:12 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: NCC takeover irksSCD college athletes

A faculty member from the department of physical education revealed that the department of public instructions (colleges) had acknowledged the issue and proposed alternative rooms for the NCC, promising grants for construction

According to the college’s physical education department, the NCC air wing was initially allotted just a single room within the structure. However, over time, they occupied the entire building. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 11, 2025 09:30 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Subject blues: No physical education at Khalsa college, Ludhiana, leaves students disappointed

The students of the aided institute in Ludhiana, which has over 1,400 learners, are forced to opt for alternative subjects due to the lack of option in the undergraduate course

Despite having a sanctioned post for a physical education teacher, the position has remained vacant for an extended period at GGN Khalsa College for Boys, Civil Lines. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 10, 2025 06:12 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Exams worsen space crunch at Jagraon govt school

The home guards were ordered to vacate the rooms in December last year but are yet to do so in search of an alternative location to run their office

The DC ordered home guards to vacate the three rooms at Government Primary Smart School, Jagraon, in December last year, but they are yet to do so. (HT FILE PHOTO)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 09, 2025 05:50 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Space crunch at Kundanpuri govt primary amid exams

A school teacher said that the institution serves as an examination centre for 136 students and to ensure the smooth conduct of exams, students from other classes are sent home by 9 AM after receiving their mid-day meal, as the Class 5 examinations begin at the same time

On regular school days, nearly 90 students are crammed into a single classroom , even in hot and humid weather conditions. (HT photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 08, 2025 07:40 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Far-off exam centres for PSEB Class 5 irk parents, teachers

According to the SCERT guidelines, government schools with less than 25 students have been assigned centres outside their premises, forcing young students to travel to unfamiliar schools for their exams creating chaos for students from economically weaker backgrounds

Students of Class 5 coming out of an examination centre at government primary school in Ludhiana on Friday. (HT PHOTO)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 08, 2025 06:56 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Near 80% psychometric tests completed in district

According to Vishwakirat Kahlon, a district-level committee member overseeing the program, an impressive 80% of the targeted students have already completed their assessments; following the tests, counseling sessions are being held to help them explore career paths aligned with their skills and interests

Students appearing for psychometric tests at a government school in Ludhiana on Monday. (HT PHOTO)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 04, 2025 06:24 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: JEE and CBSE boards examination date clash leaves students anxious

Providing a potential solution, Paramjeet Kaur, NTA coordinator in Ludhiana, advised the students to write to the NTA head office with details of their board exam dates so that the agency can adjust its JEE slots accordingly

The overlap has sparked concerns among those students who have worked to secure a strong JEE score while also preparing for their board exams, forcing them to choose between the two. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 28, 2025 05:50 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Child rights panels flag special educators’ shortage in Punjab

A head teacher from a government primary school in Ludhiana, speaking on the condition of anonymity, admitted that managing special needs students without trained educators is a major challenge

Punjab currently has just 386 contractual special educators for 47,979 special needs students, falling drastically short of the required number. Ludhiana alone has only 30 educators for 7,330 students, making the situation even more alarming. (HT Photo for Representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 26, 2025 09:28 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Many educators left in lurch after revised selection list

The move has left the educators without employment, casting uncertainty over their professional futures and sparking widespread concern in academic circles

Some of the educators have been serving in these positions since 2021. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 24, 2025 05:20 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: SCD College awaits regular principal for 5 months

Several administrative and other issues remain unresolved, college should have permanent principal, say students; Alumni Association of SCD Government College expressed his disappointment over the situation

SCD College’s permanent principal retired in August last year. Since then, the principal of Government College for Girls has its additional charge. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 23, 2025 05:36 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Non-board students forced to sit on floors as PSEB exams begin

Officials at schools that have been assigned as centres said they were put in a spot of bother, struggling to manage space and resources

Students sitting on the floor during a class at a government school in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 20, 2025 05:04 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana government schools struggle with debt, await funds under Smart School Project

When questioned about the delayed payments, district smart school mentor Karamjit Kaur stated that schools have been asked to submit their bills so the remaining amount can be processed; some have already received the funds, and the rest will be addressed soon

A classroom of a government senior secondary school where development work was done, in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 12, 2025 05:10 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: School heads flag staff shortage, DEO says vacancies to be filled

Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School on Cemetery Road, Ludhiana, highlighted the difficulties her school is facing due to the teacher shortage

According to teachers, staff shortage has been hindering studies in several schools. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 11, 2025 06:50 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Sports take a backseat at govt primary schools in Punjab

Punjab's government primary schools lack physical education teachers, impacting sports training for students. A proposal for 2,000 recruits may address this crisis.

Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains said for the first time, a proposal to recruit 2,000 physical education teachers for government primary schools will be taken up in the upcoming cabinet meeting. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 07, 2025 10:16 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Govt school teachers busy with seminars ahead of board exams, prep hit

The scheduling issues have causes problems with revision classes leaving students in a state of uncertainty

Seminars for primary school teachers began two days ago, with each group undergoing three-day training sessions. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 06, 2025 10:45 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Funds for mid-day meal, workers’ salaries awaited for 2 months

Managing expenses a Herculean task, say teachers; Ludhiana district education officer says funds will be released soon; at the same time, mid-day meal workers haven’t received their salaries for two months

The cooking cost was revised in November last year, which raised the cost per child from <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>5.45 to <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>6.19 for primary students and from <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>8.17 to <span class='webrupee'>₹</span>9.29 for upper primary students. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Feb 03, 2025 10:29 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: National shooter pushes for inclusion of para games

Kaur Singh, national-level air pistol shooter, introduced tricycle race at the Kila Raipur Games last year

Chandigarh

Updated on Feb 02, 2025 10:54 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Kila Raipur Games see dip in participation due to scheduling clash

Coaches and athletes attributed the decline to the ongoing National Games in Uttarakhand, which has drawn top-tier competitors away from the local arena

Participants in action at the Kila Raipur Games in Ludhiana on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Feb 02, 2025 05:12 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Kila Raipur games fails to spark interest sans bullock cart race

Kila Raipur former sarpanch Gian Singh noted, “Almost no NRIs visited this year, and there’s been no foreign media presence either, which used to be the scene when these games truly represented rural culture.”

Participants exhibiting their skills the during the Kila Raipur games in Ludhiana on Friday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 31, 2025 11:58 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

ASER 2024: In rural Punjab, govt pre-primary schools see surge in enrolment

The report also highlights a significant increase in the enrolment of children aged 4 to 8 in government pre-primary schools, which has doubled over the past two years.

In Punjab, the survey was carried out in 600 villages across 20 districts covering 20,226 children. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 29, 2025 10:39 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

‘Missing’ mid-day meal stock at Giaspura school being probed

The issue was brought to light by officiating head teacher Sukhdhir Sekhon, who had reported that the school had completely run out of wheat grains, leaving only a small quantity of rice by December 2024

This latest inquiry comes as part of a series of steps taken to address the growing concerns surrounding school management and ensure that students receive the resources and services they are entitled to. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 29, 2025 09:35 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Year on, seven teachers of aided schools await salaries, says union

Punjab Aided-School Teachers’ Union says non-payment has left teachers grappling with financial burden and uncertainty; the affected teachers, recruited before April 2003 under the grant-in-aid scheme, were last paid in February 2024.

Students attending a class at a government-aided school in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jan 26, 2025 05:22 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Days ahead of board exams, students hauling sandbags

Punjab education minister has suspended school principal, Kuldeep Singh, and dismissed the campus manager

Students carrying sandbags at Government Senior Secondary School for Boys, Jawahar Nagar, in Ludhiana on Friday. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 24, 2025 10:56 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Educators concerned as exam dates clash with tour schedule

Over 1,100 Class 11 science students from the state, including 95 from Ludhiana, will participate in six-day exposure visits between January 18 and February 15

The students will visit scientific and historical sites in Delhi, Jaipur and Ahmedabad. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 19, 2025 10:54 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Dr Ambedkar Nagar govt school starts double shifts to tackle space crunch

A letter issued on Friday mandates the primary and senior secondary school running in the same building, to operate in double shifts until further notice.

Sitting arrangements for students have been made outside in the cold at Government Primary School, Ambedkar Nagar in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Gurpreet Singh/Hindustan Times)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 18, 2025 10:40 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: As new session nears, shortage of teachers triggers ‘crisis-like’ situation in govt schools

Lecturer Cadre Union district president Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, who is also the state finance secretary, highlighted the gravity of the situation

The delays in the promotion process are another source of frustration. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jan 18, 2025 05:14 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Sweet treat, bitter burden: Schools struggle to provide ghee halwa in mid-day meals

This special addition has come without extra funding to cover its costs. School staff are struggling to manage the expenses within the existing mid-day meal budget.

Government school students partaking of mid-day meal in Ludhiana on Wednesday. (Manish/Hindustan Times)

Chandigarh

Published on Jan 15, 2025 10:43 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Students made to sit in open amid overcrowding in school

Teachers at the Government Primary School in Ambedkar Nagar call for implementing double-shift plan to tackle situation

Students attending outdoor classes at Government Primary School, Ambedkar Nagar, in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jan 14, 2025 10:50 PM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Copy

Whatsapp Twitter Facebook Linkedin

Akanksha Attri

The Punjab education department has started collecting data to assess the number of special educators currently employed and the total count of children with special needs enrolled in government schools

The crisis deepens as general provident fund (GPF) payments have also been put on hold, creating panic among teachers

A faculty member from the department of physical education revealed that the department of public instructions (colleges) had acknowledged the issue and proposed alternative rooms for the NCC, promising grants for construction

The students of the aided institute in Ludhiana, which has over 1,400 learners, are forced to opt for alternative subjects due to the lack of option in the undergraduate course

The home guards were ordered to vacate the rooms in December last year but are yet to do so in search of an alternative location to run their office

A school teacher said that the institution serves as an examination centre for 136 students and to ensure the smooth conduct of exams, students from other classes are sent home by 9 AM after receiving their mid-day meal, as the Class 5 examinations begin at the same time

According to the SCERT guidelines, government schools with less than 25 students have been assigned centres outside their premises, forcing young students to travel to unfamiliar schools for their exams creating chaos for students from economically weaker backgrounds

Providing a potential solution, Paramjeet Kaur, NTA coordinator in Ludhiana, advised the students to write to the NTA head office with details of their board exam dates so that the agency can adjust its JEE slots accordingly

A head teacher from a government primary school in Ludhiana, speaking on the condition of anonymity, admitted that managing special needs students without trained educators is a major challenge

The move has left the educators without employment, casting uncertainty over their professional futures and sparking widespread concern in academic circles

Several administrative and other issues remain unresolved, college should have permanent principal, say students; Alumni Association of SCD Government College expressed his disappointment over the situation

Officials at schools that have been assigned as centres said they were put in a spot of bother, struggling to manage space and resources

When questioned about the delayed payments, district smart school mentor Karamjit Kaur stated that schools have been asked to submit their bills so the remaining amount can be processed; some have already received the funds, and the rest will be addressed soon

Charanjeet Kaur Ahuja, principal of Government Senior Secondary School on Cemetery Road, Ludhiana, highlighted the difficulties her school is facing due to the teacher shortage

Punjab's government primary schools lack physical education teachers, impacting sports training for students. A proposal for 2,000 recruits may address this crisis.

The scheduling issues have causes problems with revision classes leaving students in a state of uncertainty

Managing expenses a Herculean task, say teachers; Ludhiana district education officer says funds will be released soon; at the same time, mid-day meal workers haven’t received their salaries for two months

Kaur Singh, national-level air pistol shooter, introduced tricycle race at the Kila Raipur Games last year

Coaches and athletes attributed the decline to the ongoing National Games in Uttarakhand, which has drawn top-tier competitors away from the local arena

Kila Raipur former sarpanch Gian Singh noted, “Almost no NRIs visited this year, and there’s been no foreign media presence either, which used to be the scene when these games truly represented rural culture.”

The report also highlights a significant increase in the enrolment of children aged 4 to 8 in government pre-primary schools, which has doubled over the past two years.

The issue was brought to light by officiating head teacher Sukhdhir Sekhon, who had reported that the school had completely run out of wheat grains, leaving only a small quantity of rice by December 2024

Punjab Aided-School Teachers’ Union says non-payment has left teachers grappling with financial burden and uncertainty; the affected teachers, recruited before April 2003 under the grant-in-aid scheme, were last paid in February 2024.

Punjab education minister has suspended school principal, Kuldeep Singh, and dismissed the campus manager

Over 1,100 Class 11 science students from the state, including 95 from Ludhiana, will participate in six-day exposure visits between January 18 and February 15

A letter issued on Friday mandates the primary and senior secondary school running in the same building, to operate in double shifts until further notice.

Lecturer Cadre Union district president Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, who is also the state finance secretary, highlighted the gravity of the situation

This special addition has come without extra funding to cover its costs. School staff are struggling to manage the expenses within the existing mid-day meal budget.

Teachers at the Government Primary School in Ambedkar Nagar call for implementing double-shift plan to tackle situation

Join Hindustan Times

Create free account and unlock exciting features like