The demand for restoring the independent status of the 156-year-old Government Boys Senior Secondary School (GSSS), Nurpur, has gathered fresh momentum following the Himachal Pradesh government's decision to revoke the merger of two Government Senior Secondary Schools at Palampur in Kangra district and Bhangrotu in Mandi district.
Responding to sustained public demand, the state Education Department issued a notification on July 7 cancelling the mergers of these two schools.
The move has rekindled hopes among residents of Nurpur, who have been seeking restoration of their historic boys' school for the past four months. Residents, students, parents and several social and voluntary organisations have urged Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to intervene and direct the Education Department to revoke the merger of the Government Boys Senior Secondary School with the CBSE-affiliated PM Shri Girls GSSS, Nurpur.
The boys' school, a heritage institution established 156 years ago, was merged with the girls' school through a notification issued on February 18. The girls' school is functioning from the historic residence of Justice Bakshi Tek Chand in Ward No. 8 of Nurpur town. The building was donated by his wife, Leelawati, with the intention that it should be used exclusively for girls' education in keeping with her husband's vision of women's empowerment.
A local NGO, Free Thinkers Club, on Monday submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister through the SDM, Nurpur, seeking immediate restoration of the independent status of the boys' senior secondary school. The club stated that the government had taken this decision in haste without reviewing ground realities and consulting stakeholders, especially parents of girls and boys, who do not want to miss both CBSE and HP Board of School Education (HPBOSE) affiliated secondary education in the town.
Residents alleged that the merger deprived students from economically weaker sections of access to HPBOSE affiliated senior secondary education in Nurpur town. As a result, students wishing to pursue Plus One and Plus Two under the HPBOSE curriculum have been forced to seek admission in the GSSSs at Jassur or Sadwan. Rajinder Kumar, president of the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) of the former boys' school, termed the merger an "anti-poor" decision, claiming that the merged CBSE-affiliated institution is overcrowded and lacks adequate classrooms and a playground as required under CBSE norms. He has demanded that CBSE authorities visit this co-educational CBSE affiliated senior secondary school and review the existing school infrastructure required as per the yardstick of the CBSE.
The issue has remained contentious since the merger notification was issued. Following widespread public opposition, former Nurpur MLA Ajay Mahajan had pleaded with the state government to restore the independent status of the heritage boys' school. However, instead of revoking the merger, the government downgraded the institution to a co-educational HPBOSE-affiliated high school in April. Former minister Rakesh Pathania alleged that the state government had adopted a discriminatory approach towards the people of Nurpur by refusing to fully restore the historic Government Boys Senior Secondary School despite sustained public demand.