Students forced to miss exam to attend UP CM’s function in Lucknow

Students of state run schools were forced to miss their examination and be part of the gathering at a function where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana aimed at empowering the girl child.

In a verbal order Principals of state run basic schools in Lucknow were asked to bring in the students, majority of them girls, from class V to VIII to be part of the function held at Lok Bhawan on Friday morning. Pleas that mid-term examinations in schools were on were brushed aside by officials.

“Students of class VI to VIII had mathematics examination yesterday. Around 60-70 students from each class were taken to the function. Thus all of them missed their exam,” a principal of a state run school told this reporter on Saturday.

“When we argued that we should not take students to the function because of examination the senior official said, “Mark them present. Koi IIT ka examination thodi hee na hai. Half yearly examination hai. Achchey number de dijiyega. (This is not IIT examination. It is just half yearly examination. Give them good mark),” the principal recalled.

He said besides this around 35-40 teachers accompanied these students to the function. Thus, not only was invigilation hampered but normal studies were affected too.

“If it was mandatory to take students to that function, the officers could have changed the schedule of the examination. But they did not do it,” the Principal said.

Chief Minister yogi Adityanath launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Sumangala Yojana where he announced that the anganwadi centres of the Basic Shiksha Parishad will be converted into pre-primary schools where children of three years of age will get admission.

Under the scheme, the government will give Rs 15,000 to the girls in six phases from the time of their birth till they get admission in Intermediate. The government has set a budget of Rs 1200 crore in the current financial year for the scheme.

Chief Minister said that this scheme has been launched in order to establish equal sex ratio in the state and prevent female foeticide, strengthen the health and education of the girl child, provide financial assistance to the girl's family and develop positive thinking towards the girl child among the citizens.

This scheme will be beneficial for such families who belong to Uttar Pradesh, whose per annum income is maximum Rs 3 lakh, and who have maximum two kids. Maximum two girls from any family will be eligible for the benefits.

“In that function CM talked about Beti bachao, beti padhao. The spirit of the scheme is good. But what would be the outcome if the girls are forced to skip their class and examinations just to bepart of crowd to please Chief Minister,”  the principal of one of the basic schools said.