Punjab Education Reform: Former CAG Official Urges Ministers, MLAs to Send Children to Govt Schools

Former additional deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Onkar Nath has challenged the Punjab government's claims of a “Sikhya Kranti” in the state education system, suggesting that the government's commitment to improving state-run schools should be demonstrated through a direct policy decision.

In a letter dated August 22 addressed to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Nath urged the state government to ensure that children of ministers, MLAs, senior bureaucrats and other government employees attend government schools.

Former CAG Official Questions Education Claims

Nath said the Punjab government has repeatedly highlighted the transformation of its government schools and presented the changes as a major education reform.

He argued that if the government's claims about the improvement of state-run schools are genuine, senior political leaders and government officials should have confidence in the same institutions for their own children.

According to Nath, making government schools the preferred choice for children of those in positions of authority would provide a strong demonstration of the quality and confidence associated with the claimed reforms.

Proposal for Vidhan Sabha Resolution

Nath suggested that the Punjab government introduce and pass a resolution in the Vidhan Sabha requiring the children of ministers, MLAs, senior IAS, IPS and PCS officers, as well as other government employees, to attend government schools.

He described the proposal as a simple but powerful way to demonstrate that the state's education reforms have resulted in meaningful improvements rather than remaining largely a matter of official claims and publicity.

The recommendation places the spotlight on a long-standing debate over accountability and public confidence in government schools. It also raises questions about whether policymakers and senior officials themselves rely on the public education system that they are responsible for strengthening.

Focus on Accountability in Education

Nath's suggestion comes amid the Punjab government's efforts to showcase improvements in government school infrastructure, teaching and learning outcomes under its “Sikhya Kranti” campaign.

His proposal seeks to shift the focus from claims of transformation to measurable public confidence and accountability.

If implemented, requiring the children of ministers, elected representatives and senior officials to attend government schools would represent a significant policy intervention. For now, however, the proposal remains a recommendation addressed to the Punjab government.

The suggestion has also renewed the broader question of whether the success of government school reforms should be judged not only through infrastructure and official statistics but also by the confidence placed in these institutions by the state's own policymakers and administrators.