The Punjab government’s oft-repeated promise to place education and sports at the top of its agenda rings hollow in Ludhiana, where a leadership crisis threatens to derail the functioning of dozens of schools.

According to the district education department, 78 of Ludhiana’s 182 government senior secondary schools — including key institutions in Dakha, Raikot, and Sarabha — currently have no principal, leaving them dependent on ad-hoc arrangements and overstretched staff.

Paralysis in administration, pressure on teachers

With no full-time heads, schools are struggling to maintain administrative efficiency, academic discipline, and day-to-day decision-making. “Senior lecturers are working as ‘in-charge’, while financial powers rest with the principal of a nearby school,” said Deputy District Education Officer (Secondary) Amandeep Singh.

This workaround, however, has created double duty without due compensation. Teachers handling dual responsibilities report being overwhelmed, with administrative tasks piling up and delays in key areas such as infrastructure maintenance and student welfare.

Discipline and morale on decline

The absence of leadership has also taken a visible toll on discipline and student morale. Without a consistent authority figure, teachers say it has become harder to enforce rules or sustain long-term academic goals. Parents, too, are voicing concern over what they describe as a “drift in school culture” due to the lack of stable leadership.

Vacancies linger despite assurances

Officials admit the crisis has persisted for years, largely due to delayed promotions, transfers, and retirements. Yet, despite the recurring assurances from the Punjab government about strengthening its education system, the vacuum at the top continues to widen.