Ludhiana: Enrolment drive in government schools across district sees surge, but teachers say constant pressure to boost student count
On Monday alone, nearly 4,000 new admissions were recorded at the primary level. A total of 5,940 on-the-spot admissions were registered on April 25; The campaign, involves 992 primary schools and 19 block-level offices
In bid to boost student enrolment in government schools, the elementary education department has launched a district-wide mega enrolment campaign on April 25. Led by district education officer (Elementary) Ravinder Kaur, the campaign has already seen impressive results, with thousands of new students enrolling across Ludhiana’s primary and secondary schools.
On Monday alone, nearly 4,000 new admissions were recorded at the primary level. A total of 5,940 on-the-spot admissions were registered on April 25. The campaign, which involves 992 primary schools and 19 block-level offices, includes door-to-door visits by school officials and teachers to encourage parents to send their children to government schools.
In secondary schools, enrolment numbers are also strong. As of now, 65,136 students have been admitted to classes 6 to 8, 39,562 to classes 9 and 10, and 26,838 to classes 11 and 12. However, enrolment in class 11 has been lower than expected due to pending Class 10 board exam results.
Despite these figures, the campaign has faced criticism from teachers who claim they are being pressured to meet enrolment targets. Many teachers argue that they are being forced to register students who may attend for only a short period or not at all, just to meet departmental goals.
“Teachers are pressurised to a level where they enrol kids who we know won’t come after two to three months,” said Davinder Singh Sidhu, district vice-president of the Democratic Teachers Front (DTF). He added that during inspections, these students are later classified as ‘fake enrolments’.
Multiple teachers have echoed similar concerns, saying the pressure to meet enrolment targets—set at a 10% increase this academic session—has led to inflated numbers.
Schools that have seen a drop in enrolments compared to earlier this year have faced scrutiny, with some teachers being summoned to the district education office for explanations.
Responding to these concerns, DEO Ravinder Kaur defended the drive’s purpose, acknowledging that some students might leave after a few months she emphasised the importance of enroling every child.
“Teachers can strike off the names of students who stop attending, but we must ensure no child is left behind while they are here,” Kaur said.
Some schools, including Government Primary Schools in Mangli Nichi, Sunet, and Dhandari Khurd, have reported fewer enrolments.
