Ludhiana: No books, no uniform, and no answers. It is the ultimate back-to-school nightmare as thousands of govt school students across this Punjab district have begun the new academic year without basic essentials.While private school counterparts began the year fully equipped, students in the state system report a familiar cycle of bureaucratic “disruption” that has left many relying on tattered, hand-down materials from previous years. Despite the session’s being in progress, classrooms across primary, high, and senior secondary wings remain undersupplied. Students and parents have voiced growing frustration over the lack of a clear timeline from education authorities regarding when the mandatory requirements will be met.In a move described by some families as “too little, too late”, many students reported finally receiving uniforms this month that were originally intended for the previous academic year. The shortage of learning materials is particularly acute. While some schools have received partial shipments, complete textbook sets remain unavailable for several subjects across multiple classes.Teachers are managing currently by distributing old, collected books from previous graduating classes. Pupils noted that the inability to purchase books privately — unlike their peers in the private sector — creates an immediate educational gap. “The complete set was not provided before the beginning of the academic year,” one student said. “These things should be provided before the session begins so we don’t fall behind.“Official silenceSchool officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, indicated that the delay may stem from a lack of direction from the state department. Typically, authorities request a classified list of students to determine procurement needs; however, several staff members noted that no such request has been made for the current year.A govt schoolteacher said: “In my school, books for some subjects have been received, but others are simply not available. We are operating on hope that the department will provide this year’s uniforms and the remaining books soon.” Efforts to reach district education officer (secondary) Dimple Madaan for comment were unsuccessful, as she was unavailable to address the concerns raised by families and staff.
