CM Sai Orders Probe After Eklavya Schoolgirls Walk Out Over Basic Facilities in Surguja

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has ordered an inquiry into the problems faced by girl students of the Eklavya Model Residential School at Shivpur in Surguja, directing officials to fix responsibility and immediately address deficiencies in electricity, teaching, mess and sanitation facilities. (Photo: Official account/Vishnu Deo Sai)

Chief Minister speaks directly to Collector Ajit Vasant, orders immediate action on electricity, teaching, mess and sanitation problems and accountability for negligence

Key Highlights

• CM Vishnu Deo Sai speaks directly to Surguja Collector Ajit Vasant over the Shivpur Eklavya school incident.
• Orders an inquiry and fixing of responsibility for administrative negligence.
• Action directed against officials and employees found responsible.
• Electricity, teaching, mess and sanitation problems to be addressed immediately.
• Regular inspections of residential schools and hostels ordered.
• Sai says it is unacceptable for girl students to have to set out on foot to get basic grievances heard.
• District administration directed to maintain regular dialogue with students and monitor corrective measures.

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai has taken serious note of the incident involving girl students of the Eklavya Model Residential School at Shivpur in Surguja district, who set out on foot towards the Collectorate to draw the administration’s attention to persistent problems at their school and hostel.

Soon after learning about the incident, Sai spoke directly to Surguja Collector Ajit Vasant over the telephone and sought a detailed account of the circumstances that compelled the students to leave their residential school to approach the district administration.

Expressing strong displeasure, the Chief Minister questioned why problems concerning essential facilities had remained unresolved for such a long period.

“It is not acceptable under any circumstances that our girls should have to leave their school and set out on foot simply to seek solutions to their basic problems,” Sai said.

The students had raised concerns involving electricity supply, teaching, mess facilities and cleanliness. Independent reports of Monday’s incident also record complaints over prolonged power disruption, teaching and hostel conditions.

Sai Orders Inquiry, Accountability for Negligence

The Chief Minister directed the Collector to conduct an inquiry into the entire episode, fix responsibility and initiate action against officials or employees found negligent.

Sai made it clear that negligence concerning the education, safety and basic facilities of children living in residential schools and hostels in tribal areas would not be tolerated.

“If problems, including electricity, had persisted in the school for such a long time, why did the officials concerned not resolve them in time?” the Chief Minister asked.

He ordered the district administration to immediately address the issues concerning electricity, shortage of teachers, regular classes, mess arrangements and cleanliness.

The Chief Minister also stressed that merely correcting the immediate deficiencies would not be enough. A mechanism should be established within residential schools and hostels so that students can raise grievances and have them resolved promptly without being compelled to approach senior administrative authorities themselves.

“Children staying in our residential schools and hostels should never again be placed in a situation where they have to approach the administration themselves to get their problems resolved,” Sai said.

He directed officials to ensure regular reviews and inspections of residential educational institutions.

Our Children Trust Us’

Sai said the State government was continuously providing resources to improve education and facilities for children in Chhattisgarh’s tribal regions, but ensuring that these resources actually reached students was the responsibility of field-level officials.

“Our children live and study in residential schools and hostels because they place their trust in us. It is our responsibility to listen sensitively even to their smallest problems and ensure their resolution within a fixed timeframe,” the Chief Minister said.

He directed the district administration to maintain regular communication with the students and continuously monitor improvements being made at the school.

The episode has also highlighted the importance of a functioning grievance mechanism inside residential institutions. Students should not have to leave their campuses and travel long distances before concerns involving electricity, food, sanitation or education reach those responsible for resolving them.

For this story, I would use Sai’s official portrait, rather than an unrelated event photograph. Since the key development is the Chief Minister’s telephone intervention and directions—and there does not appear to be a photograph of Sai actually making this particular call—using another meeting photo could wrongly imply it depicts today’s action.

This image comes from Vishnu Deo Sai’s official X account, making it preferable for your portal over a photograph taken from another news organisation.