Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain have reportedly told the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) that Public Works Department (PWD) officials should be held accountable for the alleged inflated costs in the previous government’s school classrooms project, according to statements given to the agency, accessed by HT.

But PWD engineers who were questioned by ACB officials have accused the changes that resulted in the inflation of the project cost as having been done on the orders of the two ministers, the papers reveal.

ACB is probing suspected violations in a project to build 12,748 semi-permanent classrooms in schools operated by the then AAP government. Originally worth ₹860 crore, the project cost rose to over ₹2,800 crore, reportedly without the issuance of new tenders or following customary procurement norms. Jain was interrogated by ACB on June 6 and Sisodia on June 20. Around 20 other witnesses – largely government functionaries – were interrogated in May this year.

Their depositions, as per internal ACB records, reveal a cycle of blame between political and bureaucratic leadership.

Asked if he had sanctioned the construction of semi-permanent buildings (SPS) at a meeting on August 8, 2015, Sisodia stated that the meeting was presided over by the principal secretary of the PWD and that officers there would have made any decision. He stood by the same stand when questioned why SPS buildings were selected instead of permanent buildings already under construction.

On why permissions were not taken from local authorities, Sisodia said worried officials would have abided by the law.

When asked why one consolidated estimate was not given and 16 individual preliminary estimates were done, Sisodia replied that officers handling the project should be interrogated. Sisodia believed that all the work was carried out in line with the General Finance Rules — which are to be implemented in cases pertaining to public finances.

ACB, in turn, has discovered, officials involved familiarly assert, that these 16 estimates were broken down into 63 smaller tenders. Sisodia denied being aware of the architecture firm that had supposedly suggested costly specifications to increase expenditures.

Jain also stated that he did not sanction SPS structures, and PWD was constructing them on vacant plots available. When he was questioned regarding modifications in specifications, Jain replied that the education department, the client agency, had requested upgrading for improved student facilities—like vitrified tiles, kota stone floors, and brick cladding. Jain confirmed he did not know the architectural firm.

But contradicting both the leaders, a PWD project manager, also interrogated by ACB, asserted that works amounting to ₹42.5 crore in five schools were conducted without inviting fresh tenders, on verbal directions from Jain. The officer alleged Jain sanctioned the shift from permanent to SPS buildings and personally supervised the project—visiting schools, taking calls, and holding meetings. A PowerPoint presentation by the architecture firm was allegedly presented to Jain on June 21, 2016, in his room, the PWD official informed ACB. This official informed ACB, that Jain was "close to" the architecture firm and a firm representative accompanied Jain in some meetings.

The official also purportedly told Jain visited a school location on July 4, 2016, sanctioned a sample model, and ordered changes in scope of work. He complained the richer specifications were enforced at Jain's behest. The other former senior PWD engineer, in a statement to ACB, stated Jain and Sisodia would inspect sites regularly and sanction changes.

ACB is now set to consider contradictions in testimony as it probes if due process was circumvented and if political meddling caused inflation of costs in the high-value classrooms project.

 A few years ago, if a student said they were feeling anxious, tired, or “just off,” most schools would’ve told them to drink some water and “focus on their studies.” Things have changed.(sort of) Today, many schools are finally starting to acknowledge that mental health is real, and that it matters. A growing number of them even have counselors on campus now. That’s a step forward.

But it’s not the solution. Not just by itself.

Let’s say a school has one counselor for 800 students. That’s not an exaggeration. According to a 2022 report by UNESCO, the average student-to-counselor ratio in India is well above 500:1, and in many schools , especially government ones it's closer to 1,000:1 or worse. In comparison, the American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250:1. You don’t need to be a statistician to know better that those numbers don’t add up.

Think about the sheer emotional load in any classroom, students dealing with parental pressure, bullying, loneliness, learning difficulties, gender identity issues, depression, body image struggles, or just the crushing fear of not doing well enough. Now imagine all of that funneled to one person sitting in a tiny office, expected to fix everything in half-hour sessions between classes. It’s not just unrealistic ,it’s almost cruel.

Mental health doesn’t start and stop at the counselor’s door. It starts in the classroom, in the staff room, in the way a teacher responds to a student who’s zoned out in class. It shows up when a student’s marks suddenly drop, or when someone who used to be loud and opinionated starts going quiet. It exists in the silences. And most of those silences go unnoticed because the people who see students everyday, those teachers often aren’t trained to recognize mental health red flags.

In January 2025, a 15‑year‑old student at Global Public School in Kochi tragically ended his life by jumping from his apartment building  a painful result of persistent harassment from schoolmates. According to an investigation, the boy was repeatedly subjected to ragging, including being humiliated over his skin color. He was forced to lick toilet seats, had his head pushed into toilets, and endured torturous treatment both online and offline  .

This is what happens when support is a job title and not a culture. A counselor’s presence is important, yes. But a counselor alone can’t hold up a system that doesn’t prioritize well-being across the board.

Real mental health support should look like this:

  • Teachers getting trained to identify signs of distress and respond with empathy, not punishment.

 

  • Exams being spaced in ways that don’t leave students burned out by 17.

 

  • School policies that make room for breaks, rest, and non-academic forms of success.

 

  • Students having someone to talk to before things get so bad they need intervention.

 

Some schools are starting to get this. In Mumbai, a few ICSE schools have introduced peer-led support groups. In Kerala, the “Our Responsibility to Children” initiative has trained thousands of teachers in basic psychological first aid. These are good models. They’re not flashy, but they work because they understand that support has to be normalised in schools.

There’s also the issue of stigma. In many schools, going to a counselor still feels like a last resort, something you do when you’re “not normal.” Students hesitate. Teachers dismiss concerns. Parents panic. A real mental health system can’t survive in a place where people are afraid to even say the words “mental health.”

And then there’s the pressure  the kind we’ve normalized. Marks over everything. Comparison as motivation. The endless grind. This culture doesn’t just ignore mental health but it actively harms it. We shouldn't just teach students how to “cope” better , we should be asking why they have to cope so much in the first place.

Yes, we need counselors. We need more of them, better trained, better paid, better integrated into the school system. But we also need schools where every adult is part of the support system, not just one overworked counselor. Because students don’t experience stress in isolated rooms  they carry it through hallways, classrooms, lunch breaks, and home.

Mental health is not an add-on. It’s not a special service. It’s normal. And until schools start treating it that way, no number of counselors will ever be enough.

By Aditi Sawarkar

With regard to infra amenities and physical facilities in poor health, and lackadaisical child safety norms, to unapproved funds idle and intrinsic digital learning shortcomings, schools in 24 West Bengal districts have performed poorly on all but a few parameters employed to measure schooling, a report published by the Union Ministry of Education last Wednesday reported.

2022-23 and 2023-24 Performance Grading Index graded the government and private schools state and district wise in India. 

There were six categories, and they were measured in the schools, i.e., learning outcomes (availability of teacher, access to learning), effective classroom transactions, infrastructure facilities & student entitlements, school safety & protection of child, digital learning and governance process.

The UTs/districts and the states were on a different gradation scale. The districts had a total of 600, and the states had a total of 1,000.

The UTs/states were graded in 10 grades, i.e., Daksh (competent) or grade 1 (91 percent to 100 percent states/UTs), Akanshi-3 (aspirational) or grade 10 (up to 10 percent score for states/UTs). The rest of the grades between them was held by 10 percentage points.

Even at the district level, 10 grades between 1 and 10 were given. Grade 1 (districts having more than 90 percent total marks), or Utkarsh (excellent), was the highest grade, and grade 10 (districts having a high of 10 percent), or Akanshi-3, was the lowest grade.

Composite school achievement in West Bengal—national and district levels—is dismal. National level performance in 2022-23 and 2023-24 was of Akanshi-1, class of 521-580 marks or 21-30 percent.

District level data also indicated that everything is not alright with West Bengal classrooms.

In the infrastructure facilities & school entitlements head alone, for example, 12 of the 24 districts experienced a mid-level decline in scores.

This part is aimed at assessing school facilities and infrastructure such as handrails in ramps, laboratory equipment, libraries, kitchen plots, sports equipment, etc. It tries to determine if the major schools received free uniforms and textbooks within one month of opening dates and the number of higher-grade girls who received special incentives such as bicycles, scholarships, etc.

The Siliguri—a district sub-division of Darjeeling district—is comparable to a district in the report.

There is one where nearly all the districts lagged behind, and that is computer-based learning, i.e., student-computer ratio, percentage of computer-trained teachers, internet accessibility in schools, etc.

The West Bengal districts' all-India rank is 5.5 out of 50 for 2022-23 and 5.6 for 2023-24. The top was by Kolkata for 12 and 13 (out of 50) for 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively, and then Siliguri.

The report further outlines how student safety initiatives fall behind the agenda of most of the state districts like Kolkata, Murshidabad, Hooghly, Malda and Nadia. The average score of 24 districts in this segment was 3.5 (on a scale of 35) for the year 2022-23 and 4.5 for the year 2023-24.

The school child safety & protection is giving topmost priority to protection of students via disaster management readiness by schools, girls' self-defence training, etc.

West Bengal has also lost Centre's Samagra Shiksha for which it has already been sanctioned only for 2022-23 and not 2023-24. It has also left administrative posts vacant in schemes like digitisation of attendance of teachers and students, the report further added. Overall score which districts have registered in governance process category stands at 30.2 (of 84) for 2022-23 and 30.8 for 2023-24.

North 24 Parganas outperforms Kolkata

Not capital city Kolkata but North 24 Parganas was at the top (302 out of 600) of overall perception in 2023-24 among 24 West Bengal districts. North 24 Parganas stood alone among state districts to score Prachesta-1 (trying) or grade 5 (51 percent to 60 percent) ranking.

166 out of 290 was the district's outcome measure score considering such factors as number of children at various grades with a letter, number, new Indian languages, science grade; number of children of grade 1 benefited by at least one year pre-primary education; number of out-of-school children to be re-placed in school; availability and teacher ratio, etc.

It had 34 out of 51 in facilities & student rights at school and only 5 out of 35 in child protection & safety at school, and 7 out of 50 in virtual learning.

The remaining state districts were Prachesta-2 or Prachesta-3 scored for both years.

15 districts were rated Prachesta-2 and 9 districts were rated Prachesta-3 in 2022-23. North 24 Parganas was promoted one rank to Prachesta-1 in 2023-24, Birbhum, Siliguri and Malda were promoted the rank to Prachesta-2, and six others were promoted to Prachesta-3.

There was a humongous gap between top rated district, North 24 Parganas at 302 in 2023-24, and bottom of 216 which also included Uttar Dinajpur.

How districts perform overall

No district in the state got the top two grades of Utkarsh and Uttam-1 (model). One got the grade of Uttam-2 for 2023-24 but no such district got it for 2022-23.

At the national level, West Bengal received Akanshi-1. Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Sikkim were some other states/UTs that fell under this category. Chandigarh received the top mark in India, and Meghalaya received the bottom one.

Centre report follows the West Bengal education department in the wake of the school service commission recruitment scandal. Nearly 26,000 teachers and officials have been dismissed this year following the April Supreme Court order that the 2016 recruitment by the West Bengal School Service Commission was marred and confirmed the Calcutta High Court order cancelling recruitments.

The protest demonstrations remain to be watched by the workers who had protested against discriminatorily dismissal from service due to corruption in the education department.

Your Dream, Your Journey- Every competitive exam you prepare for is not just a test,it’s a doorway to your dreams. Whether it's SSC, UPSC, Banking, Railways, CAT, CUET, or any entrance exam, the goal is the same- a better future, a secure career, and making your family proud.

The journey feels challenging. Sometimes tiring. Sometimes frustrating. But remember that every successful person stood exactly where you are now.

You are capable. Your dreams are valid. Yes, the journey is tough, but trust me, so you are strong and have a purpose to succeed. 

Don’t wait for the perfect moment. Start today, start now. Because every single day you work hard brings you one step closer to success.

The difference?

They didn’t give up. They prepared smartly.

Here is a complete guide full of powerful, practical, and motivating tips to prepare for competitive exams.

Understand the Exam First- Know the syllabus thoroughly. Understand the exam pattern.

 Check the number of sections, types of questions, marking scheme, and time limits.

Look at previous years' question papers.

Tip - Print out the syllabus and keep it on your wall. Tick off each topic as you master it.

Create a Realistic Study Plan-Break your preparation into daily, weekly, and monthly goals.

Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your time on important topics, 20% on revision.

Balance all sections , don’t ignore your weak areas.Allocate time for revision, mock tests, and rest.

Tip- Use planners, sticky notes, or apps like Google Calendar, Notion, or Todoist.

Focus on Concept Clarity-Don’t blindly memorize. Understand why and how things work.

Use YouTube videos, coaching notes, NCERTs, and standard books.

For Maths/Reasoning: Understand shortcuts after learning the basics.

Tip- Teach a concept to someone else or explain it to yourself. If you can teach it, you’ve learned it.

Practice is the King-Practice chapter-wise questions first.

Move on to mixed questions once concepts are clear.

Solve previous years’ papers—this is gold.

Take full-length mock tests regularly.

Tip-Create a mistake notebook. Note every wrong answer with the reason. Revise it every week.

Time Management – Inside and Outside the Exam

Practice solving questions with a timer.

Learn to balance speed and accuracy.

In exams: Attempt easy questions first, skip difficult ones, come back later.

Tip- Practice 1-hour or 2-hour study sprints. Mimic exam conditions during practice.

Master Shortcuts and Tricks (Smart Work)-Learn tricks for Maths calculations.

Use techniques like Elimination Method, Option Checking, Reverse Calculation in reasoning and aptitude.For English: Build vocabulary using apps, flashcards, and reading newspapers.

Regular Revision - The Game Changer

Revise every day-don’t let topics fade.

Follow the Revision Rule: 1st Revision: Same day,2nd Revision: Next day,3rd Revision: After one week

4th Revision: After one month

Tip: Revise smartly using mind maps, summary notes, and formula sheets.

 Take Care of Your Mental Health-Take short breaks between study sessions (Pomodoro technique –25 mins study, 5 mins break)Exercise, meditate, or listen to music.Avoid comparing your preparation to others,everyone has their own pace.

Tip: Remember, rest is a part of preparation, not a distraction.

Use the Right Resources-Choose the best books, online courses, and YouTube channels.

Join Telegram groups or forums for doubts and updates.Avoid getting confused with too many resources. Stick to a few quality ones.

Build Exam Temperament-Mock tests are not just about practice,they are about handling pressure.

Learn to stay calm even when you see tough questions.Accept that you may not know 100% of the paper,it’s okay. Focus on maximizing correct answers.

Final 30 Days Strategy-Focus more on revision and mock tests.

Don’t pick brand-new topics at the last moment unless very important.

Sleep well, eat light, and stay stress-free.

Every chapter you read today, every question you solve, every doubt you clear,it all counts. It all matters. Consistency beats intensity. Discipline beats motivation. Smart work beats only hard work. Rest is as important as practice.Believe in yourself even when results are delayed. Keep practicing.That version is waiting for you!

Logical reasoning, argument isn’t just about passing exams. It’s about training your mind to think clearly when life throws confusing situations at you. It’s about making good decisions,not just in exams, but in relationships, jobs, money, and every step of your life.The mind that learns to think logically doesn’t just answer exam questions It learns to solve life’s problems.

When we see an exam paper, look at the logical reasoning section, and feel like your mind went blank? Or perhaps you've thought, "Why is this so hard? Why do they even ask this?"Life will test you at every stage,not just with exams, but with choices, challenges, and obstacles. 

Every time you solve a reasoning puzzle, you’re teaching your brain to believe:

"I can figure things out. I can stay calm. I can win."

Never say “I’m bad at reasoning.” Instead say, “I’m getting better every day.”

Because that’s the truth.

When you master logical arguments, you don’t just solve questions,you unlock a superpower within yourself, the power to think clearly, act wisely, and win confidently.

Today, let’s make logical arguments simple, understandable, and exam-friendly, but also deeply meaningful for your life.

What is a Logical Argument? 

A logical argument is like a simple conversation between facts. You take one or more facts (called premises) and use them to arrive at a final idea (called the conclusion).

 Formula: Premises → Conclusion

If the premises are true, a good logical argument leads to a conclusion that should also be true.

A Real-Life Example:

Premise 1: Students who practice daily improve.

Premise 2: You are a student practicing daily.

Conclusion: You will improve.

Simple, right? This is the heart of logical reasoning.

Why Do Exams Test Logical Arguments?

It’s not just about testing your memory. Logical arguments check:

How well you analyze situations.

How quickly you can spot patterns.

How calmly you make sound decisions under pressure.

There are five types of Logical Arguments- let’s understand them- 

Deductive Argument – The Certain One

 Starts from a general fact and ends in a certain conclusion. If the starting points are true, the result must be true.

Example: All birds have wings.A parrot is a bird.

→ A parrot has wings. 

Used in Exams:Syllogism questions like "All A are B, C is A. What is C?"

Inductive Argument – The Observational One

Starts from repeated experiences or patterns and predicts something general. It is probable, not guaranteed.

Example:The sun rose in the east yesterday, today, and the day before.

→ It will rise in the east tomorrow. (Very likely, but not 100% logically guaranteed.)

Used in Exams:Series completion, pattern recognition, number sequences.

Abductive Argument – The Best Guess

Look for the best explanation for something we observe. It’s how detectives work.

Example:The streets are wet.

→ Probably, it rained. (But maybe someone washed the streets.)

Used in Exams:In questions asking for the most logical explanation or assumption.

Analogical Argument – The Comparison Game

: Draws conclusions based on comparing similarities.

Example:A teacher is like a gardener.

Just as gardeners nurture plants, teachers nurture students.

Used in Exams:Analogy questions: “Doctor : Patient :: Teacher : ?” → Student.

Causal Argument – Cause and Effect

Connects one event causing another.

Example: Heavy rains → Flooded streets.

Smoking → Lung problems

Used in Exams:Cause and effect questions, statement-assumption problems.

Why Do Exams Test Logical Arguments?

It’s not just about testing your memory. Logical arguments check:

How well you analyze situations.

 How quickly you can spot patterns.

 How calmly you make sound decisions under pressure.

Recruiters, universities, and exam boards want people who don’t panic when faced with puzzles,people who can calmly break a problem down and find a solution.

Powerful Shortcuts to Crack Logical Arguments

Look for Trap Words

Words like “Always, Never, None” → Extreme → Often wrong.

Words like “May, Sometimes, Often, Can” → Safer bets.

 Eliminate Wrong First-In MCQs, cancel obviously wrong choices. This doubles your chance to guess correctly.

Don’t Add Your Own Knowledge-Focus only on the information given in the statement, not on what you believe personally.

Draw it Out-Use quick Venn diagrams or simple sketches for syllogisms.

Follow the Flow-Check whether the argument flows from general to specific (deductive) or specific to general (inductive).

Mistakes Students Make (And How You Can Avoid Them)

Mistake                                                                Solution

 

Using real-world knowledge                             Stick to the information in the question

Getting confused by word traps                             Watch for extremes like “Always”/“Never”

Spending too long on one Q                             Move on, come back later

Ignoring instructions                                         Always read the question carefully

Memorizing instead of practicing               Solve regularly, not just read theory


Learning Tips to Master Win over Logical Reasoning,arugments

  1. Understand the type of argument (Deductive, Inductive, etc.)
  2. Practice daily for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Use mock tests,they build speed.
  4. Draw diagrams wherever possible.
  5. Start by solving easy questions, then move to tough ones.
  6. Use elimination strategy.
  7. Focus on keywords in statements.
  8. Don’t get emotionally stuck—stay logical.
  9. Review your mistakes after each practice session.
  10. Believe in yourself. If others can do it, so can you.

Logical reasoning isn’t about being born smart. It’s about practicing smart.It’s about choosing to open your book even when you’re tired.It’s about solving that one extra question even when you want to scroll Instagram.It’s about believing that every question you solve today is one step closer to your dream job or college.

Imagine,one day, after your exams, you’re sitting with your result in your hand. You see your name on the merit list. The reasoning section? Full marks.

That version of you,the successful, confident, and proud version,is waiting at the finish line. But to reach there, today you need to take small steps.

Your Promise Today: "I will practice. I will improve. I will succeed."

For decades, school uniforms have symbolized discipline, unity, and tradition. They are often seen as the great equalizer,blurring socio-economic lines and reinforcing a sense of belonging. Yet, for today’s students growing up in an increasingly individualistic and expressive world, the uniform can also feel like a quiet constraint on their identity, self-expression, and even personal growth

There’s something strangely familiar about the click of polished shoes on tile floors and the rustle of stiff fabric on a hot morning. For many students, uniforms are stitched into memory,those same navy blues or greys, that same reminder, you’re in school.

It’s a ritual, really. You button up, tuck in, smooth the creases, and step into a version of yourself that fits the rules. It tells you how to behave before the day even begins. You’re part of a group now. You look like everyone else, so act like everyone else,what about you as yourself? Nope can't be that here.On the surface, that can be comforting. It takes the edge off some of the pressure. You don’t have to think about outfits, or whether you’ll stand out in the wrong way. And in places where class differences are sharp, uniforms can soften things.

But looking the same isn’t the same as being equal. And feeling like you belong because you’re dressed like everyone else??That’s not quite the same as actually being seen.

That’s where it starts to get complicated. For some students, the uniform is a relief. For others, it’s a quiet weight. It flattens their sense of individuality,their own identity. It says, maybe not out loud but clearly enough that there’s a right way to be here. And if how you naturally are doesn’t quite fit that? Then tuck it in. Smooth it out. Keep it quiet, don't express.

We talk a lot about self-expression, especially with Gen Z. People assume it’s about being loud or rebellious, but most of the time, it’s subtler than that. It’s in the way someone wants to wear their hair. Or a piece of jewelry that means something. Or choosing pants instead of a skirt because that’s what feels right. These things aren’t distractions. They’re a  personal comfort.They help people feel real in environments that can often feel manufactured and processed.

When schools insist on strict uniformity, they risk missing who their students are becoming. And that’s a loss,for everyone involved.That doesn’t mean getting rid of uniforms altogether. It just means asking what’s the goal here? Is it discipline? Focus? A sense of shared identity? If so, can that still be achieved while leaving a little more room for individuality?

Because discipline isn’t the opposite of identity. You can show up as yourself and take things seriously. In fact, sometimes that is the discipline.

Maybe the question we should be asking isn’t “Should schools have uniforms?” but rather, “What are we asking students to give up in order to wear them?” And is that trade-off still worth it?

These are my views but let's look through A Wider Lens

There’s also research worth thinking about In this context,A 2022 report by the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics found no strong evidence linking uniforms to improved academic performance. Some schools saw better attendance and slightly fewer discipline issues, but nothing dramatic. Uniforms might bring structure,or the  stereotypical ‘discipline’but that alone doesn’t automatically lead to focus or even success.

Then there’s the question of cultural and gender inclusion. In the UK, a Stonewall School Report revealed that 64% of trans students felt uncomfortable in school because of uniform policies. It’s not just about what’s being worn it’s about who’s being asked to shrink or compromise to fit the code.

And globally, some schools are already rethinking what a “uniform” can be. In parts of Sweden and New Zealand, students are allowed to choose from a range of options, with designs that are gender-neutral or adjustable for cultural needs. Others allow modest accessories,scarves, turbans, even pins,so students can express small parts of who they are without disrupting the whole.

If schools want to prepare students for the real world, this might be the place to start, not by getting rid of discipline, but by making space for difference and individuality inside it which leads to the feeling of inclusivity.

By Aditi Sawarkar

Government Kannada Lower Primary School at Parasapur village of Yadgir district is in pathetic condition as the building of the school has been taken over to provide accommodation to a cattle shed, evoking strong criticism from villagers and parents who accuse the school of turning the dirty environment into an obstacle to children's study and play.

The Shahapur taluk school campus not being fenced by any compound wall, some unknown individuals have been charged in local news articles of regularly keeping their cows within the school campus. Due to this reason, cow dung and dirt are present everywhere, and it is hard for children to study or even play outside.

"Each day, we need to cross cow dung in order to attend school. We don't have a playground. We need a clean and lovely playground," one student, who wished not to be named, said.

The school is devoid of elementary facilities such as clean drinking water and toilet facility, villagers and parents alleged. "As private individuals are keeping cattle within the school compound on a daily basis, children also are suffering from difficulties in studying and playing. The concerned officials have to visit school at once and advise people and provide a healthy environment to students," alleged Venkatesh who is a resident of Parasapur.

Villager Ningappa also complained that the issue had even affected the morning prayer of the school. "As cattle are being hobbled within school compound, students cannot do morning prayers in the traditional manner. The education department officials should take immediate action."

The problem, the residents claim, can be prevented by the construction of a compound wall along the school perimeter. "There is no compound wall to the Government Kannada Lower Primary School. Residents are therefore tying cattle here. If a compound wall is built, the problem will be kept at bay," said Venkappa Dore, one of the residents of Parasapur in Grama Panchayat.

Seeing the complaints, education officials carried out an inspection of the school on Thursday. Shahapur block education officer YS Hargi and BRC Renuka Patil went to the school and took the statements of the head teacher of the school and Biranoor Gram Panchayat members.

Deputy director of public instruction (DDPI) Channabasappa Mudhol lent his voice for unhygienic condition of the school campus. "Parasapur Government School in Yadgir premises spoiled with unhygienic conditions," he said.

"We have submitted a letter to the Taluk panchayat executive officer, suggesting construction of various basic facilities like drinking water, compound wall, and toilets for the school, to end the agony," he added.

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