Students of a middle school in Alawalpur village under Fatuha block in Patna district have levelled a serious allegation of caste discrimination by the teachers. Several students claimed that teachers often ask them not to sit with students of lower caste and maintain the dignity of their caste by sitting with the students belonging to their caste.
Now, the teachers are threatening the students with dire consequences if they share this with anyone after the issue has become a talking point in the village.
Though the school is closed as per the District Magistrate order due to severe cold wave, The Hindu managed to meet several students in the village who shared the shocking practice. The school is located around 35 km from Patna.
Sharing the details, Arya Nandani Kumari, student of class 8th standard, said, “During the mid-day meal or in the classroom, when a lower caste student is sitting with the upper caste or vice-versa, teachers ask them to leave the place and sit with students of their own caste.”
She further said, “Many times if lower caste students sit in the front, they are asked to sit behind.”
Another student, Jiya Kumari said, “Sarita madam always says that don’t we feel ashamed while sitting with the low caste people. If any low caste student sits near the upper caste student, the teacher orders them to stand up and go to another place. They keep on saying that the upper caste should not sit with lower caste students.”
Sheetal Kumari, student of the same class said that whenever there is a quarrel between upper caste and lower caste students, teachers always punish the lower caste and spare the upper caste student without asking for any explanation.”
The Alawalpur village is adopted by Ravi Shankar Prasad, which falls under his Patna Sahib Lok Sabha constituency under the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (SAGY). With nearly 5,000 voters, Alawalpur is an upper caste Rajput-dominated village.
Sheetal further said, “It is really humiliating for us when teachers discriminate on the basis of caste. The atmosphere of the school is so that we feel ashamed to study here but there is only one middle school in the village and it is not possible to afford a private school. The discrimination is not new and happening from many months”
Asked about names of those teachers who discriminate on the caste basis, Rani Kumar said, “Ranjan sir, Sarita mam, Parveen sir, Punam mam and Rina mam. There are teachers who always discriminate against students on caste lines.”
The Students also alleged that they are forced to do the work which they are not supposed to do like brooming the class, opening the gate, washing their own plates and glasses after mid-day meal and shutting the doors and windows after the classes get over.
Aditya Kumar of the same class said ,“Many times, we are asked to do work which we are not supposed to do. Teachers ask us to carry the sacks packed with mid-day meal grains. Every sack is around 25 kg and it really hurts while carrying it on the back and head.”
Some students also said that the quality of the MDM is sub-standard and many times, they have found pieces of glass, spider and ants. They also said that even the toilets are hardly cleaned and the total strength of the teacher never comes to school. On a daily basis only 4 to 5 teachers come to school and few of them go to their house after marking the attendance.
Ayush Kumar, “The quality of the food is really bad, in the name of MDM we are forced to eat food in which sometimes, insects are found and even broken pieces of glass.”
After the issue spread in the village, the teachers are threatening them that they will not get their Transfer Certificate (TC) which is mandatory to go to high school.
Even parents also raised the concern over the issue that such practice will spoil the very soul of the education system demanding strict action against the teachers.
There are three schools in the village: primary school, middle school and high school. However, according to the villager the primary school has been closed for the last five months because there is no path to reach the school. The path has been blocked due construction of the house as the plot was owned by a person who is building it.
Villagers have written several applications to the concerned government officials with regard to blockade of the road which leads towards the primary school but nothing has happened so far.
“More than 300 students who were studying in primary school have been shifted to high school. You can imagine the problems students must be facing while studying in a congested school. You must have seen the road towards middle school and high school; it is in a dilapidated condition. During the monsoon, it becomes very difficult for the student to attend the classes,”Ravi Shankar Singh, father of Sheetal Kumari said.
When asked about the allegation of the students, Ranjan Kumar principal of the school Ranjan Kumar, said, “All the allegations are baseless. Our school does not indulge in any caste discrimination. We only ask the girls and boys students to sit separately.”
Nitan Devi, Panchayat Head of Alawalpur said that she has also come to know about the incident and has asked the school principal not to spoil the education system in the panchayat. She also said that any teachers violating the guidelines deserve punishment
Ms. Devi’s husband Satrunjay Singh added that it was also the duty of the parents to inform Mukhiya first as soon as they came to know about the caste discrimination in the school premises. So far parents have taken any legal action against the school keeping the future of their wards.
Published – December 27, 2025 03:15 am IST
