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The Madhya Pradesh government directed an investigation after paintwork invoices for two schools in Shahdol district which went viral on social media revealed suspected fake payments and inflated figures for material and labour.

The bills that were making the rounds online claim inflated quantities of materials and labor, indicating that 168 workers and 65 masons were dispatched to coat four liters of paint for one school and 275 workers and 150 masons to coat 20 liters for another.

Minister of School Education Uday Pratap Singh directed immediate action after suspected fictitious payments sanctioned in the guise of minor repairs at Sakandi Government High School and Nipaniya Higher Secondary School in Shahdol district's Beohari Assembly constituency were discovered.

The racket was exposed after millisecond-to-millisecond bills went viral on social media, highlighting what appear to be bloated entries under material and labour.

In Sakandi High School, official papers claimed that 168 labourers and 65 masons were employed to paint mere four litres. The expenditure documented -- Rs 1,06,984 -- has generated overall suspicion.

Nipaniya School accounts were no less damning: Rs 2,31,685 had been incurred as expended on the work of 275 labourers and 150 masons who reportedly worked on such contracts as pertained to mere twenty litres of paint, fitting ten windows, and four doors.

Taking dramatic action on the report, the Education Minister directed the Secretary of the School Education Department and the Commissioner of Public Instruction to hold a rapid and impartial inquiry.

He reiterated the zero-tolerance of the government towards corruption and malpractices in public departments and reaffirmed nobody caught would be excluded. Popular disillusionment and questions about the innocence of rural school infrastructure funds spending have been evoked by the revelations.

Others were left with amazement at how these overspendings were tolerated, calling for tighter processes of accountability and audit procedures with regional education authorities.

The accident has struck at a time when the Madhya Pradesh government is going all out to push transparency and investment across various sectors. The accident may be a wake-up call for introducing more stringent audit mechanisms, online transparency tools, and decentralized monitoring mechanisms with local stakeholders.

Gorakhpur's Pankhuri Tripathi, a school drop-out student due to financial difficulties, on Monday resumed her studies after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath intervened. During his Janta Darshan in Gorakhpur, Tripathi told CM Yogi about the financial plight of her family that was proving to be a huge hurdle for her education.

CM assured her of his support and directed officials to act expeditiously. "Either your charges will be waived, or we will make the amount," he said to the girl.

Following his intervention, Saraswati Shishu Mandir waived the outstanding fee of Rs 18000 through coordination by the district administration and education department. The RSS-education managed school had first refused to grant any concession on the grounds that "no such provision existed" in the school but Pankhuri returned to school on Monday wearing her school uniform and for Class 7-B. Her fee was waived with help from the district administration, PTI reported.

Tripathi family expressed gratitude to CM Yogi for his timely action. They said his assistance had provided their daughter with a future again.

Pankhuri Tripathi expressed her gratitude to CM Yogi for also sponsoring her education. " I requested CM Yogi to waive my fees. He happily accepted the waiver and motivated me to do better in life. I want to thank him. I am very grateful and happy," she further said.

The family of Pankhuri Tripathi faced a setback when his father lost his job due to an accident. She desires to be an IAS officer.

A Class 7 girl's request to be provided with money that will make her an IAS officer has been politicized in Uttar Pradesh.

Pankhuri Tripathi's family too suffered a great loss when her father Rajiv Kumar Tripathi suffered a severe injury in the leg through an accident and had to be sent out of service. The family went to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and were assured that her education would not be hampered.

The Class 7 student requested the school administration to waive her fee payment, but the school management refused and informed her that there was no such clause. Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav has now criticized the Uttar Pradesh BJP government and promised to help the girl study. The parents of Pankhuri believe that the Chief Minister will step forward and help her realize her ambitions.

Pankhuri Tripathi learns in Pakkibag-based Saraswati Shishu Mandir. Vidya Bharati school operated by RSS's education wing charges Rs 1,650 to students of Class 7. Pankhuri will have to pay almost Rs 18,000.

"I went to the Chief Minister with a fee pardon request. He offered me chocolate and that he would do it. But when my father brought me to school, they treated us badly. They said that the fee can't be pardoned. They said that if more parents ask for a fee pardon, then the school can't run. They said that they have to pay teachers," she repeated again.

"My father wept. No one has ever spoken to him in such a manner earlier. But I do not wish for the Chief Minister to shatter my dream. I shall work and become an IAS officer," Pankhuri said.

Yogi Adityanath's stronghold is Gorakhpur. He is Mathadhyaksh of the Gorakhnath Math and five-time MP of Gorakhpur prior to joining politics and becoming the state's Chief Minister.

State Opposition Samajwadi Party chief and state's top Opposition leader, Akhilesh Yadav, has now retaliated against the ruling party for Pankhuri's remark. "We promise her education will never be disrupted. This is the bitter truth of the BJP's hollow promise of 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'. We implore the BJP not to play with children," Mr Yadav tweeted on X.

Pankhuri's father, Rajiv Tripathi, said that he had traveled out of the state before the COVID-19 pandemic. "I was at home under lockdown. I slipped off the terrace and injured my leg. I lost employment. Both my children are studying in English-medium schools. My son is pursuing Class 12, and my daughter is pursuing Class 7. I was struggling to pay their school fee and my daughter did not report to school after February. It's the final year of my son's schooling, so I did not want to end his studies. I had considered withdrawing my daughter from school for one year. Then I thought that I could seek the help of the Chief Minister. We approached Janata Durbar on July 1 and sought his help. He instructed officers forthwith that my daughter's study should not be disrupted," he added.

"The school administration, however, asserted that they had no provision for a fee pardon. They claimed that if the administration issues a fee pardon to all parents, the school will shut down. They responded in a discourteous manner. When I witnessed my daughter crying, I also cried," he said.

After hearing the news of acquainting himself with the fact, Mr Yadav tweeted about the issue and staged a show of support, Mr Tripathi responded, "He has tweeted. However, we are in contact with the Math and Maharaj ji (i.e., Yogi Adityanath) and we think that he would arrange for the education of my daughter."

NDTV tried to speak with the school administration but they declined to comment on the matter. The state education department's senior officer informed that the state government has written a letter to the school administration and a positive response is imminent.

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has increased the courses offered under its 'School Connect' Program. While two courses, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Electronic Systems, were previously available, the programme now offers 10 online hands-on certificate courses for students of Class 10, 11 and 12 from schools across the nation. The courses will be for a period of eight weeks.

The registration process for the August 2025 batch is already open, and schools can register and admit their students at code.iitm.ac.in/schoolconnect/ by July 25.

Emphasizing the vision of the institute towards school interaction, Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, stated, "At IIT Madras, we are of the opinion that early exposure to future areas of interest can trigger curiosity and create future innovators. By empowering students in an early stage, we are building a nation for the future."

The School Connect Program is an outreaching flagship program by Centre for Outreach and Digital Education (CODE) at IIT Madras to connect school education and higher education.

This program empowers students in schools — particularly those studying in Classes 10, 11 and 12— to discover new areas and make informed choices regarding their future academic and professional trajectory. Assignments and an optional project will be part of the courses for a hands-on experience.

These programs are conducted in three batches during the current academic year in August, October, and January so that schools and students can take up to three courses a year.

The Courses available are:

1. Introduction to Data Science and AI
2. Introduction to Electronic Systems
3. Introduction to Architecture & Design
4. Fun with Math and Computing
5. Math Unplugged: Games & Puzzles
6. Introduction to Ecology
7. Introduction to Engineering Biological Systems
8. Introduction to Law
9. The Fundamentals of Aerospace
10. Humanities Unplugged

The Institute, in a release made in this connection stated that it would soon be introducing more short-term programmes in different disciplines to familiarize students with different areas of study. "Such programmes will provide students with a special chance to find out about different career streams and acquire first-hand experience about their academic paths in the future," it further added.

In a matter of pride for the state, Odisha jumped to 5th rank in the national School Education Performance Grading Index (PGI 2.0) of the country, a record jump from its 14th rank all the way back in 2019. Odisha's score of 595.6 has also earned it win the PRACHESTA-3 grade for the academic year 2023-24, the state's rising commitment towards quality education.

Underlying this achievement is Odisha's innovative 5T policy — Technology, Transparency, Teamwork, Time, and Transformation — that has in just a short while given a facelift of sorts to some 7,000 schools. It was the result of the collective efforts of teachers, parents, education officers, and supporting staff, as stated by ex-Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who proclaimed, "The 5T initiative has brought a sea change in Odisha's school education."

What particularly impresses Odisha in this year's rankings is its showing under the 'access' category, where it came in at the upper range (941–1000) over states like Kerala, otherwise high placed in school education indicators. It is a measure of the reach and inclusiveness of schooling that reflects Odisha's very high priority for enrolment of students, retention, and building of infrastructure.

State's rise in rankings is not mere numbers — it's the story of collective action, visionary leadership, and systemic change. From improved classrooms to enhanced teacher education and data-driven decision-making, Odisha is changing school education in India.

As Odisha continues the building momentum, education insiders think that the state will soon be a national model for public school reform. The PRACHESTA-3 ranking not only confirms the achievements to date but also presents higher opportunities for policy innovation and student-focused development in the coming years.

Following the district's poor performance in the State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS), the Coimbatore School Education Department has launched a focused action plan to bridge learning gaps and improve academic achievement among primary school students.

The response is being given in primary and middle schools, with the aid of the Diets Institute of Education and Training (DIET), the New Indian Express reported.

According to TNIE, an education officer stated that students have been divided into four learning levels under this scheme – A, B, C, and D – as per their performance.

"On this basis, teachers will put more focus on C and D category students. Their pedagogy will focus on understanding concepts rather than mugging up. Teachers must first make their reading and writing skills very strong," he added.

"After this, headmasters will check students' learning outcomes twice a week. Second, Block Resource Teacher Educators (BRTEs) and Block Educational Officers (BEOs) will monitor students' assessment reports and also observe students. In order to monitor this, two blocks have been assigned to the educational officers and senior lecturers in DIET. Lastly, the Chief Educational Officer and the principal of DIET will check students' learning outcomes with headmasters once in a month," he added.

He also pointed out that officials will implement ongoing monitoring and assessment of student performance as per the action plan, with special emphasis on schools that had weaker results.

The district of Coimbatore was at the bottom in the State Level Achievement Survey (SLAS), leading to the quick implementation of the action plan. The Thondamuthur and Sulur blocks were among the weaker performers.

The SLAS test, carried out at the state level some months ago, included students in Classes 3, 5, and 8 to review levels of learning, the sources said.