HC seeks photographs of government schools in Patiala district to assess condition

More than a year after the Punjab and Haryana High Court took suo motu note of a Tribune news-report on the plight of students, particularly girls, being forced to drop out due to the deplorable condition of government schools, a Division Bench Friday directed the State of Punjab to place on record photographs showing the state of educational institutions in Patiala district

As the suo motu, or “Court on its own motion,” case came up for resumed hearing, the Bench headed by Chief Justice Sheel Nagu observed at the outset that “the condition of government schools is quite pathetic” before calling for photographic evidence to ascertain the ground reality.

“The State counsel is directed to submit photographs from both outside and interior of some of the government schools in Patiala district to find out the whether these are in dilapidated state”. For the purpose, the high court set four-week deadline. The Bench also questioned the State on its education policy.

The Bench had taken cognisance of the matter on July 25, 2024, after it was particularly disturbed by the news item highlighting the lack of high schools and higher secondary schools, especially for girls, which led to a high dropout rate.

The Bench had made the Punjab Secretary, Department of Higher Education, a party to the litigation, “keeping in view the public interest issue involved”, before issuing a notice of motion. “The State counsel is directed to submit a report regarding the plight of students in high schools (10^th) and higher secondary schools (11^th and 12^th), especially girls, who are compelled to drop out due to the lack of infrastructure and even the absence of schools along the Patiala-Rajpura highway, as highlighted in the news report published in The Tribune on July 23, 2024,” the Bench had stated.

The State counsel was also directed to place on record the policy regarding the establishment of higher secondary schools and explain why there is no higher secondary school for girls between Patiala and Rajpura.