Punjab government schools named after caste to be renamed: Harjot Singh Bains

Chandigarh: Punjab School Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Thursday issued an order to rename the state's all government schools which have been named on the basis of caste and fraternity. In a statement here, Mr Bains said, “Several cases have come to the notice regarding the names of many government schools in the state being associated with a caste, which makes them feel uncivilised in the present era and at the same time promote caste segregation in the society.”

He said all the students were being given equal education on the basis of equality in the government schools of Punjab under which the names of government schools could not be related to class or caste. The education minister said Punjab is the land of gurus, saints and great prophets who have taught humanity to stay away from casteism and all kinds of discrimination.

“In today's era, these names have a profound effect on the tender minds of the students and sometimes many parents also refrain from enrolling their children in government schools because of these names,” he said. In this regard, a report has been sought from all the district education officers and elementary education department about the schools of different caste-based names running in their jurisdiction.