The local authorities in Patna, Bihar, have commenced an investigation following the circulation of a video on social media, where students accused a government school in Alawalpur village of caste discrimination, as reported by a news outlet.
In the footage, students expressed that they were segregated and not allowed to interact with their upper-caste peers. They also claimed that there were instances where they were denied food.
One student mentioned, “They question the others, ‘Why do you sit with them?’” The report indicated that students from higher castes were relocated if they were found sitting next to those from lower castes.
Additional concerns were raised in the video regarding administrative issues, including inconsistent teacher attendance, irregular class schedules, and subpar food quality. There were also allegations of students being compelled to perform manual labor.
Ranjan Kumar, the principal of the school, refuted the claims, stating that the allegations were unfounded. He clarified, “We only ask the girls and boys to sit separately,” according to another news source.
Nitan Devi, the head of the local panchayat, urged the principal to maintain the integrity of the educational system in the region, asserting that any teacher who breaches the guidelines should face consequences, as reported by another news outlet.
Patna District Magistrate Thiyagarajan SM confirmed that the district education officer has been instructed to investigate the situation and provide a report.
Alawalpur is situated approximately 20 kilometers south of Patna.
The village was selected by MP Ravi Shankar Prasad in 2014 under the Saansad Adarsh Gram Yojana, a program that mandates MPs to adopt a village for its development into a model community.
