Students of Shivpur Eklavya Residential School in Surguja walked to the collector’s office to complain about months-long electricity failure, teaching issues and poor hostel conditions. The principal has now been removed and the warden issued a notice.

The principal of Shivpur Eklavya Residential School in Surguja district has been removed after girl students walked several kilometres to meet the collector and raise complaints about basic facilities at the institution.The students had alleged that the school and hostel had been without electricity for nearly three months, along with problems related to teaching and cleanliness in the mess.Following an inquiry ordered by the district administration, Principal Om Narayan Srivastava was removed from the post and attached to the office of the Assistant Commissioner. The hostel warden has also been issued a show-cause notice for alleged negligence.

Students walked to collector’s office

According to officials, around 45 girl students from the residential school decided to approach the collector after repeated complaints allegedly failed to resolve their problems.The students started walking towards Ambikapur, around 30 km away from the school. Teachers accompanied them as a safety measure.When Tribal Assistant Commissioner Lalit Shukla reached Bailkota to speak with the students, they reportedly refused to discuss their issues with him and insisted on meeting the collector directly.After the students had walked around 16 km, arrangements were made to take them to Ambikapur by bus.

Students raised three major complaints

After meeting Collector Ajit Vasant, the students highlighted three key issues:

• Electricity supply in the school and hostel had remained disrupted for around three months

• Problems with teaching, particularly in subjects including mathematics and chemistry

• Poor cleanliness arrangements in the mess

The students also alleged that their earlier complaints to the school principal did not result in corrective action.

Three-member committee submitted inquiry report

The collector had formed a three-member inquiry committee headed by Joint Collector Sharda Agrawal to examine the allegations.The committee spoke with students and staff members and submitted its report to the district administration.Based on the findings, the administration removed the principal from his post. Teacher Pratiksha Tripathi (PGT English) has been given additional responsibility as school principal

.Another teacher, Arvind Ashok Tigga , has been sent back to his original posting at Eklavya School Mainpat.The hostel warden Ayushi Soni has received a show-cause notice over alleged negligence in government duties.The salaries of employees working at Eklavya School Shivpur will now be released only after approval from the collector and district-level committee.

CM orders action against negligence

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed displeasure over the incident and spoke to the collector.The Chief Minister said that students having to walk to raise their concerns was not acceptable and directed officials to identify responsibility and take action against those found negligent.Tribal Welfare Minister Ramvichar Netam has also sought an inquiry report from officials and said that students’ problems would be addressed.The administration has assured that necessary steps will be taken to improve facilities at the school.

The issue surfaced at Baidyapur Vidyapith, located in Kalna-II block of Purba Bardhaman, when newly admitted Class 11 students attempted to complete registration formalities through the state education portal. During the process, it was discovered that the institution was listed as a boys’ school, making the admissions of female students ineligible under the system.

The development has triggered concern among students, parents and school authorities, many of whom claim they were unaware of any such change in the school’s status.

According to school officials, Baidyapur Vidyapith has been admitting girls in higher secondary classes for nearly five decades. Although the institution primarily serves students from Classes 5 to 12, girls have reportedly been enrolling in Classes 11 and 12 since the mid-1970s.

The school currently has more than 1,700 students and has long been considered a co-educational institution by the local community. However, an administrative review reportedly found that the school had never received formal government approval to operate as a co-educational institution, despite functioning that way for years.

Following the discovery, admissions of around 120 girls who had already enrolled in Class 11 have been cancelled. The decision has created anxiety among affected families, particularly because the academic session is already underway.

School authorities said the issue does not affect girls currently studying in Class 12. Since they had already been registered under the previous system, they will be allowed to continue their studies and appear for their board examinations.

The controversy has also raised questions about administrative oversight. Officials at the school have indicated that they were not informed in advance about any change in the institution’s classification. Reports suggest that even local education administrators were initially unaware of how the status appeared on official records.

After learning of the cancellations, the school management approached district education authorities seeking immediate intervention. The institution has requested that its co-educational status be retained, at least for the current academic year, to protect the future of students who had already secured admission.

School representatives argue that the affected students joined the institution in good faith and should not suffer due to an administrative or regulatory dispute. Parents have echoed similar concerns, saying students now face uncertainty over where they will continue their education if the issue is not resolved quickly.

The case has sparked debate in the region, with many questioning how a school that had been admitting girls for decades could suddenly face restrictions without prior clarification. The matter has also highlighted the importance of maintaining accurate educational records and ensuring that institutional classifications are updated transparently.

Education department officials have not yet announced a final decision on the matter. As a result, the future of the affected Class 11 students remains unclear.

With admissions already cancelled and the new academic session progressing, families are now awaiting a response from authorities that could determine whether the students will be allowed to continue their studies at the school or be required to seek admission elsewhere.

Further developments are expected after district education officials review the school's representation and examine the institution’s regulatory status.