Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu may have gone to Government Senior Secondary School, Nerwa, to encourage students to speak freely, but one Class X student turned the interaction into a thought-provoking debate on politics and democracy.
As the Chief Minister interacted with students during his visit to the recently CBSE-affiliated school in Shimla district, a teenager questioned why there was no qualifying examination for those aspiring to become MLAs when almost every profession demanded merit-based tests and qualifications.
Drawing loud applause from fellow students, the boy remarked that elections had become too expensive and were now dominated by the wealthy. “Political parties should conduct some kind of exam before giving tickets. Candidates should at least have knowledge of the field they are entering,” he argued firmly.
When Sukhu responded that the public effectively tested MLAs every five years through elections, the student politely but confidently stood by his point, leaving many in the gathering smiling at his boldness.
The interaction, however, was not limited to politics alone. A Class X girl questioned why the mid-day meal scheme ended at Class VIII. “Aren’t we children too, sir?” she asked, urging the government to extend the facility up to Class XII. The Chief Minister termed it a “good suggestion” and assured students that the matter would be examined.
Younger students highlighted practical concerns closer to their daily lives — unhygienic washrooms, water shortage, poor roads and inadequate health facilities in the area.
During the visit, the Chief Minister announced Rs 5 crore for construction of a new school building and later shared lunch with students. School authorities said enrolment had jumped sharply from 959 last year to nearly 1,300 this academic session after the school’s affiliation with CBSE.
