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Akanksha Attri

Articles by Akanksha Attri

Ludhiana: Awaiting 1st semester results, students sit for fresh exams

Students who had appeared for their first semester exams under the new NEP framework in December 2024 are still waiting for their results, even as the second semester exams have already begun

Faculty members argue that the delay has robbed students of a vital academic checkpoint, especially since this was their first experience under the NEP system. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on May 06, 2025 05:50 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: New skill-based courses draw Class 11 admission seekers

Four government schools in the district have been selected under the state’s initiative, School of Applied Learning, for which the admissions have already begun

An under construction lab on the premises of the PAU school in Ludhiana on Saturday. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on May 04, 2025 06:56 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Just five teachers for 370 students at government middle school in Meharban

Out of the required teaching staff, only five subject teachers—for Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Hindi, and English—are currently posted; vacancies remain for ACT, DP, and Punjabi, impacting the delivery of a holistic education

Teachers say the situation has persisted for years, though some relief came two years ago when two new teachers joined the team. (HT Photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on May 03, 2025 06:02 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Punjab guest faculty: 4 months without pay plunge teachers into financial ruin

While these teachers continue to mark their attendance daily and contribute to college committees, their teaching workload has drastically diminished ever since the appointment of 1,091 regular professors in September last year

The situation spans several districts, with faculty affected in Ludhiana, Fazilka, Mansa, Bathinda, Sardargarh, Pojewal, Sunam, and Sangrur, among others. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 30, 2025 05:24 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Top court deadline over month ago, Punjab yet to notify special educator posts

The Union of Unemployed Special Education Teachers recently got information through a Right to Information query that Punjab has only 386 contractual special educators to cater to 47,979 students with special needs

The Supreme Court had directed the states and the union territories to declare their sanctioned posts for special educators by March 28.

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 29, 2025 09:20 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: 200 teachers to finally join govt schools today

Earlier, around 100 ETT teachers had joined their schools on April 4 this year; however, the joining process for the remaining teachers was halted after a petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court

Officials noted that this fresh recruitment will help improve the quality of education in government schools and reduce the workload on existing staff. (HT photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 28, 2025 06:14 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Weeks on, government school students without books

According to officials, the delay in distribution was triggered by a dispute between the Punjabi Sahit Akademi and the PSEB over rental terms and maintenance of the board’s regional office at Punjabi Bhawan; issue has been resolved, and the books are now arriving at Punjabi Bhawan, officials added

Six lakh books are yet to be distributed to the students. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 26, 2025 08:10 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Tech issues and inauguration events burden teachers amid enrolment season

With the current focus of educators have shifted towards preparations for inauguration ceremonies related to infrastructural developments, teachers find themselves overwhelmed with administrative duties; as a result, they are unable to dedicate time and resources to student outreach

Traditionally, teachers actively engage in door-to-door outreach to encourage enrolment, a task that becomes even more urgent as schools are assigned specific enrolment targets by the administration. (HT Photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 25, 2025 06:34 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Edu dept issues strict orders on school project completion

The state government had launched a 54-day ‘Sikhya Kranti’ programme, under which nearly 25,000 repair and renovation projects worth ₹2,000 crore are set to be inaugurated across 12,000 government schools by May 31

Despite inauguration on April 7, renovation of toilets was incomplete at the Government Senior Secondary School in Kundanpuri. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 21, 2025 05:24 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Inauguration of incomplete school work under Sikhya Kranti project riles Ludhiana teachers

Principal Aradhana Bagha admitted that while one room had been completed nearly three months ago, the second was still awaiting finishing touches as the tiling work is left

Madan Lal Bagga inaugurated infra works at Government Senior Secondary Smart School, Kundanpuri, on April 7. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 12, 2025 09:02 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: DEO writes to CP, challenges bail of Sekhewal teacher

An FIR was filed against Rani at Daba police station on March 13, charging her under IPC Sections 409 and 420 for allegedly siphoning school funds and inflating student numbers to obtain government benefits

Rani was accused of creating thousands of fake student records to wrongfully claim government benefits like mid-day meals, textbooks and uniforms. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 11, 2025 05:38 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Aided college teachers irked over 6th pay scale

Principal of Master Tara Singh Memorial College confirmed the claims for 2024–25 were sent as per the 6th pay scale; but from 2025–26 onwards, they will be based on the 7th pay scale. Teachers will receive arrears for the past year, she said

Faculty members, especially from aided colleges, have voiced their anger over what they call a deliberate delay in adopting the updated pay structure. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 10, 2025 05:06 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Schools told to bear cost of plaques, get paid later

The state education department recently began formal inaugurations of various upgrade projects in government schools across the region; as part of the preparation, schools have been asked to bear the initial costs of commemorative plaques and event arrangements, with the promise of reimbursement later

The directive has not gone down well with teachers who are already struggling with two months of unpaid salaries. (HT Photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 08, 2025 05:10 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Barnala saw most cases of anaemia, malnutrition among kids last year: Survey

The survey, conducted across government and aided schools, and anganwadi centres, screened 13.3 lakh children aged 0 to 18 years over 12 months, ending January 2025

A team of Rastriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK) conducting health check-ups in Ludhiana on Sunday. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 07, 2025 08:24 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Vacancies of teachers soar in Ludhiana govt schools

Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, highlighted the gravity of the issue, saying that last month alone, four lecturers, one principal, and the deputy district education officer (secondary) retired, leaving key positions vacant

The situation is expected to deteriorate further as teachers have been directed to apply for transfers to Schools of Eminence (SOEs) by April 4. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 04, 2025 07:02 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Textbook shortage hits govt schools as new session begins

A dispute between the Punjabi Sahit Akademi and the Punjab School Education Board over rental terms and maintenance of the board’s regional office at Punjabi Bhawan has further delayed distribution; due to this, many books are currently stored at Government Senior Secondary School in Khanna

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 03, 2025 07:32 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Headteacher of govt school gets bail amid fraud probe

An FIR was filed against Rani at Daba police station, charging her under IPC Sections 409 and 420 for allegedly siphoning school funds and inflating student numbers to obtain government benefits; station head officer Gurdial Singh confirmed that the FIR was lodged on March 13, and Rani must report within 15 days of securing bail on March 29

The district education officer (elementary), Ravinder Kaur, has informed senior officials and sought approval to appeal against the district court’s ruling. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 03, 2025 06:54 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Teachers in distress over delay in salary for 2 months

Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, said that teachers are under immense financial and mental stress; the stalled salary payments have left many struggling to meet daily expenses

The crisis has deepened as general provident fund (GPF) payments have also been put on hold. (HT Photo for representation)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 02, 2025 06:30 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Poll duties affect computer education in government schools in Ludhiana

As per information, nearly 600 computer teachers are employed in government schools across the district, but more than 10% of them are assigned to election duties for most of the year; as a result, they are unable to take regular classes for computer education

With teachers from other subjects stepping in to fill the gap, students have reported lack of proper instruction in government schools in Ludhiana. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Apr 01, 2025 07:04 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri

Punjab misses SC deadline for special educators’ post

On March 7, the SC directed all states and Union Territories to notify the sanctioned posts of teachers for special children and initiate the selection process by March 28.

Punjab’s failure to meet this deadline has left thousands of children with special needs (CWSN) without proper educational support.

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 30, 2025 07:58 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri

Ludhiana: Shortage of pages in answer book in Class 12 maths exam leaves students baffled

Many students were unable to attempt long-answer questions due to the space constraints, leading to concerns over their final scores

Class 12 students discussing question paper after coming out of examination centre in Ludhiana on Friday. (Gurpreet Singh/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 29, 2025 05:50 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Over 3,500 take literacy exam, teachers decry ‘poor timing’

According to Rajwinder Kaur, nodal in-charge and principal of district institute of education and training (DIET) said schools that failed to update online records were only asked to do so a few days before the exam

Candidates appearing for NILP exam at Government Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road on Sunday in Ludhiana on March 23, 2025. (Manish/Hindustan Times)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 24, 2025 05:06 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri

Ludhiana: Govt school principals back from Singapore with novel strategies

Singapore’s education system continuously evolves, whereas here, stagnation is a challenge; to tackle this, he will share his learnings across 27 schools in his block and explore new ways to keep teachers motivated and students engaged

Principals at a training session in Singapore. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 22, 2025 05:40 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Women’s college in limbo: No regular principal for over 2 years

The college has nearly 250 students enrolled and offers specialisation in subjects like social studies, science, mathematics, commerce, economics, and more; however, the vacant teaching posts have remained unfilled for nearly five years

Out of 15 sanctioned teaching positions, six remain vacant, leaving only eight regular faculty members to handle the workload. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 19, 2025 05:04 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Government school in hot water over filthy conditions, fund misuse

The inspection also revealed poor sanitation and a deteriorating school environment; DEO Ravinder Kaur said that debris was scattered across the campus, mid-day meals were prepared in unhygienic conditions, and the adjacent storeroom was in a miserable state

The DEO discovered that while the school records showed 1,794 students enrolled, only 422 were actually present. (Manish/HT)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 18, 2025 06:48 AM IST

ByAkanksha Attri, Ludhiana

Ludhiana: Class 12 question paper shortage leads to panic in students

SOE Model Town principal Vishwakirat Kahlon said the shortage was from the Punjab school education board (PSEB) itself; the board was informed immediately and managed to arrange the missing papers from another centre to ensure no student was at a disadvantage

Students coming out of the examination centre after appearing for exam on Monday in Ludhiana. (Manish/Hindustan Times)

Chandigarh

Published on Mar 18, 2025 05:18 AM IST

ByAkanksha 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

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Akanksha Attri

Students who had appeared for their first semester exams under the new NEP framework in December 2024 are still waiting for their results, even as the second semester exams have already begun

Four government schools in the district have been selected under the state’s initiative, School of Applied Learning, for which the admissions have already begun

Out of the required teaching staff, only five subject teachers—for Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Hindi, and English—are currently posted; vacancies remain for ACT, DP, and Punjabi, impacting the delivery of a holistic education

While these teachers continue to mark their attendance daily and contribute to college committees, their teaching workload has drastically diminished ever since the appointment of 1,091 regular professors in September last year

The Union of Unemployed Special Education Teachers recently got information through a Right to Information query that Punjab has only 386 contractual special educators to cater to 47,979 students with special needs

Earlier, around 100 ETT teachers had joined their schools on April 4 this year; however, the joining process for the remaining teachers was halted after a petition was filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court

With the current focus of educators have shifted towards preparations for inauguration ceremonies related to infrastructural developments, teachers find themselves overwhelmed with administrative duties; as a result, they are unable to dedicate time and resources to student outreach

The state government had launched a 54-day ‘Sikhya Kranti’ programme, under which nearly 25,000 repair and renovation projects worth ₹2,000 crore are set to be inaugurated across 12,000 government schools by May 31

Principal Aradhana Bagha admitted that while one room had been completed nearly three months ago, the second was still awaiting finishing touches as the tiling work is left

An FIR was filed against Rani at Daba police station on March 13, charging her under IPC Sections 409 and 420 for allegedly siphoning school funds and inflating student numbers to obtain government benefits

Principal of Master Tara Singh Memorial College confirmed the claims for 2024–25 were sent as per the 6th pay scale; but from 2025–26 onwards, they will be based on the 7th pay scale. Teachers will receive arrears for the past year, she said

The survey, conducted across government and aided schools, and anganwadi centres, screened 13.3 lakh children aged 0 to 18 years over 12 months, ending January 2025

Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, district president of the Lecturer Cadre Union, highlighted the gravity of the issue, saying that last month alone, four lecturers, one principal, and the deputy district education officer (secondary) retired, leaving key positions vacant

A dispute between the Punjabi Sahit Akademi and the Punjab School Education Board over rental terms and maintenance of the board’s regional office at Punjabi Bhawan has further delayed distribution; due to this, many books are currently stored at Government Senior Secondary School in Khanna

Dharamjeet Singh Dhillon, finance secretary of the Lecturer Cadre Union, said that teachers are under immense financial and mental stress; the stalled salary payments have left many struggling to meet daily expenses

As per information, nearly 600 computer teachers are employed in government schools across the district, but more than 10% of them are assigned to election duties for most of the year; as a result, they are unable to take regular classes for computer education

On March 7, the SC directed all states and Union Territories to notify the sanctioned posts of teachers for special children and initiate the selection process by March 28.

Many students were unable to attempt long-answer questions due to the space constraints, leading to concerns over their final scores

According to Rajwinder Kaur, nodal in-charge and principal of district institute of education and training (DIET) said schools that failed to update online records were only asked to do so a few days before the exam

Singapore’s education system continuously evolves, whereas here, stagnation is a challenge; to tackle this, he will share his learnings across 27 schools in his block and explore new ways to keep teachers motivated and students engaged

The college has nearly 250 students enrolled and offers specialisation in subjects like social studies, science, mathematics, commerce, economics, and more; however, the vacant teaching posts have remained unfilled for nearly five years

The inspection also revealed poor sanitation and a deteriorating school environment; DEO Ravinder Kaur said that debris was scattered across the campus, mid-day meals were prepared in unhygienic conditions, and the adjacent storeroom was in a miserable state

SOE Model Town principal Vishwakirat Kahlon said the shortage was from the Punjab school education board (PSEB) itself; the board was informed immediately and managed to arrange the missing papers from another centre to ensure no student was at a disadvantage

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

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