The decision covers government, aided, recognised, and private schools. The government took the step due to intense cold conditions affecting Punjab. Authorities prioritised student safety amid falling temperatures and dense fog in several regions.

Earlier, schools were scheduled to reopen on January 8. However, severe winter conditions forced the government to review the decision again. Winter vacations in Punjab schools began on December 24. Initially, officials planned to reopen schools on January 1. The government later extended the break until January 7 due to continuing cold weather.

Now, the state has added another week of holidays. The education department aims to protect young children from health risks during extreme winter days. Parents and teachers welcomed the decision, calling it necessary and timely.

Education Minister Harjot Bains said the government continues to monitor weather conditions closely. He assured parents that student welfare remains the top priority. Officials will issue fresh instructions if weather conditions worsen further.

Punjab often experiences harsh winters during early January. Cold waves and low visibility disrupt normal routines across districts. Schools across the state will resume academic activities from January 14, subject to weather conditions.

The post Punjab Extends School Holidays Till January 13 appeared first on India Podcast.

In Ropar, Education Minister Harjot Bains’ home district, 9 of 10 BPEO posts are vacant. Union leaders questioned why the government sends teachers abroad for training while local schools lack staff.

District-level vacancies are high: Mansa has 82 principal posts vacant, Barnala 77, Kapurthala 73, Faridkot 30, and Tarn Taran 55. Among head teachers, Tarn Taran has 78 vacancies, Nawanshahr 32, Kapurthala 39, Barnala 23, and Ludhiana 83.

The union demanded immediate promotions to fill the posts. Education Minister Harjot Bains said the Cabinet has approved new recruitment rules. He assured that promotions will happen soon and postings will be rationalised.

The post Punjab Govt Schools Face Teacher Shortage Crisis appeared first on India Podcast.

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney said, “We will ensure children get emotional first aid. Teachers will ask about their well-being and family situation so they feel supported.” The program will continue when schools reopen in the border belt on Tuesday, and authorities will monitor children’s progress.

Recently, teachers from 50 schools attended sessions led by Sanchi Chandna from Delhi and NGO Sanji Sikhyan. The training covered stress management, early counselling, community support, and other activities to help children recover emotionally. Chandna has over ten years of experience leading learning programs in conflict zones.

Assistant Commissioner Piyusha Bhardak highlighted that natural disasters affect mental health deeply. The initiative, under “Sanja Uparala,” will help teachers make children feel safe, confident, and stable.

Teacher Aarti said, “Every child displaced by the floods will feel the impact. Emotional aid can restore a sense of safety and routine, depending on the child’s age and personality.”

The post Punjab Teachers Trained to Heal Children’s Flood Trauma appeared first on India Podcast.

PPSC said the change was necessary because of the recent floods in Punjab. Many districts were badly affected, and students struggled to prepare. The commission decided to give aspirants more time.

Only the preliminary exam date has been changed. Other parts of the recruitment schedule will continue as planned. PPSC will soon release more details, such as admit cards and exam centers, on its official website.

The rescheduled exam date is a relief for candidates in flood-hit areas. They now have extra time to prepare. Students are advised to check the PPSC website often for official updates.

The post PPSC Reschedules Punjab Civil Services Prelims 2025 appeared first on India Podcast.

In the Agriculture and Allied Sectors, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, secured the third rank nationally for the third consecutive year. This makes PAU the top state agricultural university in India, behind only the centrally funded Indian Agricultural Research Institute and National Dairy Research Institute. Lovely Professional University (LPU), Phagwara, stood at 17th, while Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, ranked 30th.

In the medical field, Chandigarh’s PGIMER held the second rank nationally. Dayanand Medical College, Ludhiana, improved to 36th, and Christian Medical College rose to 47th. Christian Dental College, Ludhiana, made a strong jump to 24th from last year’s 30th.

In the overall category, Chandigarh University ranked 32nd, followed by Thapar Institute (44th), LPU (49th), IIT Ropar (56th), Panjab University (57th), IISER Mohali (70th), and PAU (81st).

Punjab also performed strongly in engineering, management, law, and architecture, with Chandigarh University and LPU securing top slots across multiple categories.

These results highlight Punjab’s growing presence in India’s higher education landscape.

The post Punjab Shines in NIRF Rankings 2025 appeared first on India Podcast.

Teachers elected Balbir Singh Cheema as District President and Umesh Kumar as District General Secretary. Earlier, the Teacher Dal had two groups—Jahangir and Jawanda. Both worked separately for teachers’ rights. With joint efforts, unity has returned, allowing fair elections. The state will soon elect its president and general secretary.

Senior leaders shared the history of Teacher Dal. They promised to fight for teachers’ issues and congratulated the new leaders. The gathering celebrated the spirit of unity and teamwork.

Leaders present included Atamjeet Singh Dhillon, Bhupinder Singh Chahal, Ramandeep Singh, Navdeep Singh, Manjinder Singh Dhillon, Gurpreet Singh, Rajwinder Singh Randhawa, Surjit Kumar, Sukhwant Singh, Rajesh Kumar, Harpinder Singh, Inderraj Singh, Gurbinderjeet Singh, Satpal Singh, Anil Kumar, Sukhwinder Singh, and Kulwinder Bana.

The post Balbir Singh Cheema District President Elected in Amritsar, Punjab appeared first on India Podcast.