Ludhiana: Basti Jodhewal govt school students push for commerce stream option post Class 10

Students at Government Senior Secondary School in Basti Jodhewal say that as the institute only offer humanities after Class 10, those of them wishing to pursue other streams face difficulties.
The students say that their informed that due to lack space for labs, it is difficult to start science streams. The students have renewed the push for starting commerce streams.
The students who wish to pursue other streams often turn to schools farther away or the nearby schools of eminence (SOEs) in Indrapuri and Sekhewal.
With a few extra rooms currently under construction at the Basti Jodhewal school, students are urging to start a commerce section. A class 10 student said, “We asked our teachers to start a commerce section as it does not need a lab and one of the new rooms could be used. Our parents do not allow us to travel to other schools.”
A student who had to transfer to a nearby school to study commerce said, “I did not want to leave Basti Jodhewal school because of the excellent teaching staff. But I was not interested in humanities.”
Sekhewal SoE principal Naresh Kumar emphasised on the strain this situation puts on nearby schools. “Parents are hesitant to send children to schools father away. Many end up enrolling in private schools. We have limited staff and classrooms and have to refuse admissions.” Indrapuri SoE principal Jaswinder Singh said, “Two years ago, a proposal to introduce commerce at Basti Jodhewal school was sent.”
Basti Jodhewal school principal Tej Varinder Kaur said, “The school already runs in double shifts and the four new rooms will be used to accommodate current students. Starting a new stream requires more infrastructure.”