‘Enrolment pressure’: In Punjab, teachers issued notices to explain why names of some students struck-off

DEO Gautam said the “reply of the teachers was found satisfactory and there will be no further action against them”. He said that in a recent review meeting, it was found that names of 428 students from secondary schools in Ferozepur were struck-off in the past one month. “We wanted to check if there were any bogus admissions or names were struck-off due to genuine reasons. In case of dropouts, we contact the child and encourage them to resume studies,” he said.

Rakesh Sharma, a state-award winning teacher currently serving as principal, Government Senior Secondary School (GSSS) (Girls), Zira, Ferozepur, who was asked to explain why names of 15 students were struck-off from his school, said: “Two of our girls got married and a few others were long absentees. We submitted a detailed reply”.

Anukul Panchi, principal, GSSS, Arif Ke village, Ferozepur, was asked to explain the deduction of 33 students from his school. “We had made provisional admissions for class 11 but some students never came to school. We can’t keep showing them as absent.”

Rajiv Kumar Handa, district president (Ferozepur), Government Teacher Union, said that as per the policy of the education department, the students in board classes (5, 8 and 10) are enrolled in the next class on e-Punjab portal as new session begins on April 1. However, due to reasons such as family issues, shortage of lecturers, unavailability of specific stream, migration to other states, admissions in special Meritorious/Eminence schools, many students do not join and teachers have to strike off their names. He said that issuing such notices to teachers was completely unjustified as most of these schools had strength of 1000-1800 students.

Alleging that they are being put under “extreme pressure” to increase enrollment, the teachers in Punjab say that even if names of students are struck off due to genuine reasons they are issued a notice and asked for an explanation.

Officials, however, said that a verification drive has been launched to check bogus admissions after it was observed that in order to show the inflated numbers, some teachers initially register new students using Aadhaar numbers but later those student never turn up for classes and their names are gradually struck-off.

2023-24 enrolments: Dip within same session

While the Punjab education department officials say that enrolment figures for 2024-25 are yet to be finalized, even the 2023-24 figures show dip within same session.

On March 10 last year, Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains had claimed that one lakh new admissions were done in a single day in a “mega enrolment drive.”

The data shows that by July 31, 2023, at least 3.84 lakh students were enrolled in pre-primary classes, which eventually reduced to 3.64 lakh by January 31,2024. During the same time period, students in primary section (class I to V) also came dwon from 10.58 lakh to 10.11 lakh. In secondary too (class 6 to 12), the numbers dipped from 14.20 lakh to 13.46 lakh within the same session (2023-24).

As per the provisional figures for 2024-25 till June 6 this year, there are 3.42 lakh enrolments in pre-primary, 9.94 lakh in primary and 13.45 lakh in secondary. Officials say that admissions for 2024-25 are still on.

Inflated attendance figures being uploaded on app: BPEO

Sources further said that a review meeting on enrollment was held few days ago with DEOs across the state in which the compiled figures presented by higher officials indicated discrepancies and each DEO was directed to check and question the schools where a considerable number of students have been found physically absent for days and their names struck-off .

Vikram Dev, state president, Democratic Teachers Front (DTF), said that “teachers were under severe pressure to show inflated enrollment numbers.”

“Even if a student is long absent for months, principals don’t allow them to strike-off names fearing action and notices. That enrollment is carried forward in attendance rolls at least till December but finally the name has to be struck off as we can’t show bogus admissions for board exam registrations. Who will pay board exam fee? So they are struck off near January. Also teachers can’t keep claiming mid day meal, uniforms, books for students who never come,” said Dev.

In another order issued by Sukhwinder Kaur, block primary education officer (BPEO), Zira Ferozepur on July 16, it was stated: “During physical inspection at schools, it has been observed that 50 per cent or even less students are seen attending classes but inflated attendance numbers are being uploaded online which is a serious matter.”

In the latest order issued on July 17 by state education department, teachers have been directed to mark daily attendance of students directly on ePunjab portal.

Shankar Chaudhary, head, enrolments, Punjab education department, said: “No one is forcing any teacher to increase enrolments by force or show false numbers. But it is duty of every teacher to make every effort and bring new students. We have to ensure there are minimum dropouts. We are yet to prepare final data for 2024-25 admissions. The notices to teachers in Ferozepur were issued at DEO level without taking us in confidence.”