Punjab: 100 bureaucrats to work as counselors in schools

Punjab: Around 100 bureaucrats, including IAS, IPS and PCS officers, have volunteered to work as mentors under the ‘School Mentorship’ programme. Currently, 80 Schools of Eminence and Meritorious Schools are being offered under the programme. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains said the government has launched a one-of-its-kind ‘School Mentorship’ programme in which top bureaucrats will inspire and guide young minds to achieve lofty goals in life. He said more than half of the applicants are young officers who joined between 2015 and 2024. Of the 100 applicants, 41 are IAS officers, including seven from the pre-2005 batch, 14 from the 2005 to 2015 batch and 20 from post-2016. Similarly, 48 IPS officers, including nine from the pre-2005 batch, 16 from the 2005-2015 batch and 23 from the post-2016 batch, have joined the initiative. Besides, three PCS and eight officers from other services have also shown interest. Interestingly, these schools are located near the border and in far-flung areas including Pathankot, Tarn Taran and Ferozepur. The minister said interested officers can fill the ‘Google form’ by April 20. The mentors will visit their schools and collaborate with them and assist students in career counselling, exposure visits, training of teachers on innovative pedagogy, increasing parental involvement, promoting innovative ideas and improving the learning environment.