Amid a wave of student-led protests nationwide over the alleged NEET paper leak and education issues, students of Simuara Middle School in Bihar’s Gaya district staged a protest of their own on Tuesday, marching around 4 km to the Tikari Sub-Divisional Office over issues regarding basic facilities at their school.
The protest has since triggered multiple departmental inquiries, show-cause notices to school staff, and the suspension of salaries for the day of the demonstration pending satisfactory explanations.
A video of the protest, which has gone viral on social media, shows dozens of students, mostly from classes 6 to 8, sitting outside the office of the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), refusing to disperse as they demanded redressal of grievances over the quality of the mid-day meal, drinking water, toilets, electricity, classroom fans, uniforms and the overall state of teaching and school infrastructure.
Taking cognisance of the protest, Tikari SDM Praveen Kundan constituted a three-member inquiry committee comprising Assistant District Supply Officer Chandan Kumar, Executive Officer Ranjeet Singh and Block Development Officer Yogendra Paswan to inspect the school and submit a report.
An official said the SDM was on field duty when authorities learnt that around 40-50 students from Simuara had reached the subdivision office.
“The Executive Magistrate was immediately sent to speak to them. After the SDM returned, he met a group of six students, including three girls, in the presence of teachers. The complaints primarily related to basic facilities such as drinking water, toilets, the quality of the mid-day meal, uniforms and the absence of fans in classrooms,” the official said.
The official added that the headmaster was issued a warning and directed to resolve the problems within four to five days, while the inquiry team had also visited the school and is conducting a detailed investigation into the complaints.
Surprise inspection
The protest was followed by a surprise inspection of the school on Wednesday by District Programme Officer (Elementary Education and Samagra Shiksha) Nityam Kumar Gaurav and Block Education Officer Dr Abhay Kumar Raman.
According to another official, after interacting directly with students, the officers directed the headmaster to restore normal functioning within seven days, warning of strict departmental action in case of non-compliance.
During the inspection, the officials reviewed students’ complaints regarding teaching, the mid-day meal and other basic amenities. They directed the school to immediately ensure cleanliness and repairs of classrooms and toilets, improve the quality of the mid-day meal, provide nutritious and hygienic food, complete electrical wiring and install fans in every classroom, conduct classes according to the prescribed timetable, and ensure that all teachers regularly maintain lesson plans.
Show-cause notices
Meanwhile, the Block Education Officer initiated disciplinary proceedings through a series of official communications issued on July 28.
In a show-cause notice to the headmaster, the officer sought explanations on how students were able to leave the school during class hours to stage a protest nearly 4 km away, why regular teaching was not taking place, allegations that insects were found in the mid-day meal, and why students were not taken on educational excursions despite departmental instructions.
The letter said the allegations “appear to indicate an inability to run the school” and says the incident had “brought embarrassment to the entire department”. It directs the headmaster to submit a reply with evidence within 24 hours and says the salary for the day of the protest has been withheld pending a satisfactory explanation.
In a separate notice, seven teachers were also asked to explain the circumstances leading to the protest. Besides questioning classroom teaching and the failure to alert the department despite what it described as students’ growing frustration, the notice states: “The above allegations appear to suggest that you were also indirectly supporting the children, because of which the entire department has been embarrassed by your actions.”
The teachers have likewise been directed to respond within 24 hours, and their salary for the day of the protest has also been withheld until a satisfactory explanation is received.
A third communication was issued to the Block Resource Person for the PM Poshan Scheme, directing an inquiry into allegations that the mid-day meal served at the school was of poor quality and that students had complained of insects in the food. The officer has been asked to submit an inspection report along with an explanation supported by evidence within 24 hours.
Officials at the Bihar Education Department in Patna did not respond to The Indian Express’s requests for comment.
The protesting students in Bihar's Gaya district (Express Photo by Himanshu Harsh). 
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