education reform Archives - National Times

15 Aug

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Outlines Major Strides in Women Empowerment, Education, and Rural Development

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, canal irrigation, education reform, Ferozepur, Punjab government, Women Empowerment

FEROZEPUR (Gurpreet Singh): After unfurling the national Tricolour at the state-level function marking the 80th Independence Day at Cantt Board Stadium, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the 80th year of Independence will be the year of economic freedom for Punjab’s women, as for the first time, mothers and daughters are gaining the freedom to spend their own money according to their wishes, with more than 65 lakh women already receiving Samman Rashi out of the 74.59 lakh women registered under the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna. CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said that walking in the footsteps of the great…

12 Aug

Cockroach Janata Party Announces ‘Season 2’ of Jantar Mantar Agitation Amid Political Pressure Allegations

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaAbhijeet Dipke, Cockroach Janata Party, education reform, Jantar Mantar, Saurav Das, student protest

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): The founder of the Cockroach Janata Party, Abhijeet Dipke, announced that the organization is preparing to initiate a fresh wave of public demonstrations, framing the upcoming campaign as "Season 2 of Jantar Mantar". Speaking at a public gathering, Dipke shared that the decision follows sustained encouragement and inquiries across social media platforms following the group's previous extended protest movement in New Delhi. During his address, Dipke alleged that the organization encountered systemic obstacles and political interference while attempting to secure a venue for a scheduled volunteers' meeting in the national capital. He claimed that several hall…

10 Aug

Era of Arbitrary Private School Fee Hikes Ends as Punjab Vidhan Sabha Passes Regulation of Fees Bill

Balwinder Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Singh Mann, education reform, Fee Regulation Bill, private school fees, Punjab Vidhan Sabha

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Putting an end to arbitrary fee hikes by private schools, the Punjab Vidhan Sabha on Monday unanimously passed by voice vote the Punjab Regulation Of Fees Of Un-Aided Educational Institutions (Amendment) Bill, 2026, paving the way for stronger protection of students and parents against excessive and opaque fee collection. Under this legislation, private schools will not be allowed to increase fees by more than 5% in a new academic session, while every amount collected from parents under any head will be treated as fee and brought under regulation. The Punjab Government will also conduct forensic audits of…

16 Jul

Arvind Kejriwal Demands Sonam Wangchuk Replace Dharmendra Pradhan as India’s Education Minister Amid Examination Leak Protests

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaArvind Kejriwal, education reform, Examination leaks, Sonam Wangchuk

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday backed scientist and educationist Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar and demanded that he be appointed India's Education Minister in place of Dharmendra Pradhan. Extending support to Sonam Wangchuk's campaign for transparency in the examination system and accountability in education, the AAP Supremo argued that India's rotten education system can only be repaired through revolutionary leadership and revolutionary reforms. The AAP Chief asserted the Prime Minister would never appoint Sonam Wangchuk because he fears the revolutionary changes he could bring to education. Several senior AAP…

23 Jun

Reverse Migration Sweeps Punjab as CM Mann Hands Out Over 600 Power Sector Jobs on Pure Merit

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Singh Mann, education reform, Merit jobs, PSPCL recruitment, reverse migration

Bathinda (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday said that Punjab continues to emerge as a preferred destination for government jobs, with even youngsters who had moved abroad now returning to the state to secure employment through the transparent and merit-based recruitment policy of his government. While handing over appointment letters to 665 newly recruited candidates in Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), the Chief Minister said that the state has created a record by providing 68,268 government jobs in just four-and-a-half years, completely ending the era of cash-for-jobs and recommendations. The Chief Minister urged Punjabis working…

21 Jun

Punjab Chief Minister Opposes Higher Education Bill, Warns Against Centralisation

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, education reform, Higher Education Bill, Punjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has strongly opposed the proposed ‘Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhiniyam Bill, 2025’ (Higher Education Bill), warning that the legislation could make higher education more expensive, weaken opportunities for students from ordinary families and diminish the ability of states to address local educational needs. In a detailed letter to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann urged the Centre to reconsider the Bill and hold wider consultations before implementing reforms that could significantly alter the higher education landscape. Emphasising that crores of parents across the country pin their hopes and dreams…

02 Jun

Climate Activist Sonam Wangchuk To Join CJP Protest On June 6, Backs Protest Seeking Education Minister’s Resignation

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsIndiaaccountability, Dharmendra Pradhan, education reform, Jantar Mantar protest, national examination controversy, Sonam Wangchuk

New Delhi (Gurpreet Singh): Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk announced on Tuesday his support for a public campaign demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Delivering an ultimatum through a video message and social media posts, Wangchuk stated he will travel to Delhi to join a June 6 demonstration led by the Cockroach Janta Party if the central government fails to take decisive administrative action by June 5. The high-profile endorsement provides significant momentum to a youth-driven movement that has expanded rapidly across digital platforms over recent weeks. Wangchuk, a veteran educator with four decades of experience in the…

30 May

Punjab Launches Mega Menstrual Health Initiative Across 3,600 Government Schools

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, education reform, Menstrual health, Punjab

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): In a landmark step towards strengthening girls’ education, adolescent health, and gender-sensitive schooling, the Punjab Government under Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has launched one of India’s largest school-based menstrual health education initiatives for adolescent girls studying in government schools across Punjab. On the occasion of Menstrual Hygiene Day on May 28, the Punjab Government announced the phased statewide expansion of “Menstrual Hygiene Curriculum” across government high and senior secondary schools in all 23 districts of Punjab. The first session of the curriculum is set to be conducted across these government schools tomorrow, i.e. 29.05.2026. This initiative…

18 May

Manish Sisodia Advocates for Egalitarian Society at Punjab Government Seminar on Sri Guru Ravidass Ji

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabeducation reform, Guru Ravidass, Ludhiana seminar, Manish Sisodia, Punjab government, Social equality

Ludhiana (Gurpreet Singh): As part of a series of events announced by the Punjab Government to celebrate the 650th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji on a large scale, a special seminar dedicated to the teachings and philosophy of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji was organised on Monday at CT university. Addressing the seminar, Former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who attended the event as the Guest of Honour, called upon youth to take the lead in eliminating social and economic disparities from society by following the teachings of Sri Guru Ravidass Ji, who championed equality, universal brotherhood and…

16 May

CM Bhagwant Mann Flags Off Largest Batch of 72 Government School Teachers to Finland for Advanced Training

Gurpreet Singh0 CommentsPunjabBhagwant Mann, education reform, Finland training, Punjab teachers, Sikhya Kranti, University of Turku

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): In a major push to Punjab’s rapidly expanding ‘Sikhya Kranti’, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Saturday flagged off the largest-ever batch of 72 government school teachers for advanced training in Finland, asserting that the Punjab Government’s investment in teacher training, modern classrooms and academic reforms has transformed Punjab into the country’s leading state in education. Drawing a sharp contrast with the decades-long neglect of public education by previous governments, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab’s government schools are now outperforming private schools in board examination results, while lakhs of parents are voluntarily participating in Parent-Teacher Meetings…