Ceasefire violations keep students, parents on edge

While life in Jalandhar is slowly returning to normal after a tense week, the recent ceasefire violation by Pakistan has left parents and students deeply unsettled. The fear sparked by the shelling in Jammu, combined with recent recoveries of drones and explosives in villages of Jalandhar, continues to cast a shadow over classrooms across the city.

Although the state government had ordered the reopening of schools and no special advisory was issued for institutions in the district, several schools and colleges in the city remained closed on Monday, while others reported significantly low attendance. While many cited the Budh Purnima holiday as the reason for closure, sources indicated that several school and college managements are adopting a cautious, wait-and-watch approach to ensure the situation remains stable. The continued closure of schools in border villages and in Amritsar on Monday further contributed to the prevailing sense of unease.

“Even though things appear calm, we didn’t want to take any risks,” said Rajesh Kumar, a parent who chose to keep his teenage son home. “With everything we’ve been through already, this kind of tension is hard to ignore.”

On Saturday, just hours after India and Pakistan reaffirmed their ceasefire agreement, reports of cross-border shelling and a terror-related incident in Jammu broke the fragile calm. The incident triggered precautionary blackouts in border areas, and its psychological impact rippled deep into districts like Jalandhar.

“Many parents called in to ask if we were closing,” said a government school principal in Jalandhar. “We remained open as per the education department’s orders, but student turnout was lower than usual. Parents are clearly on alert.”

“What if something happens here?” asked Priya Malhotra, a mother of two. “We’ve already seen drones and weapons recovered from Jalandhar villages. That’s enough to shake anyone.”

Students, especially those preparing for key examinations, say the uncertainty is affecting their focus. With the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) already postponing the remaining papers of the CA May 2025 exam and students awaiting revised dates, aspirants for JEE Advanced are worried that the current situation may disrupt the exam, scheduled for May 18.

“It’s hard to stay mentally strong when there’s this uneasy silence around you,” said Simran Kaur, a final-year student. “Even when nothing is happening directly, it’s the fear of what could happen.”

Meanwhile, authorities have appealed for calm and stressed that the situation is under control across the state.