A Ludhiana school popularizing 'honesty is the best policy' via a bookshop

Rajewal (Ludhiana), July 27: At a time when not many youngsters may buy the argument that honesty pays, a school here is inculcating honesty among its students through a special bookshop.

A visit to Bhagat Puran Singh Memorial Senior Secondary School and Girls College at Rajewal town in Ludhiana District of Punjab can surprise anyone to find how a special bookshop is being run without any salesman to motivate honest practices among students.

At this "Honesty Shop" student, who wish to buy a notebook or other stationary, can pick it up from the available stock inside the shop and leave by putting the due payment into a box placed on a table outside the door.

In case, the student doesn't have the money or is short of money he or she can leave a paper slip with his or her name and class written on it, in a separate box kept on the table. Such a student can pay back later on by depositing the due payment in the cash box and take away the deposited slip.

"Unlike other schools, we have started an honesty shop here. We want to inculcate the sense of honesty in them, so that they should be true in their practical life," added J S Brar, Principal of Bhagat Puran Singh Memorial Senior Secondary School and Girls College, Rajewal.

"We want to prepare the new generation which has to take over the reigns of this country once they grow up, but at first they must be honest. Once they are honest, they can be great asset to the nation. With this motto we have started this honesty shop. There is no salesman sitting in the shop. Everything is lying open," said Balbir Singh Rajewal, patron of the school and President, Bharatiya Kisan Union (Punjab unit).

"Students are expected to mention their names, roll numbers, class on a slip and put it in another box. After three to four days, when they have money, they take out slip and put the money. We have never found any discrepancy in the cash," said Rajewal informed.

Apart from that, sudents here are deterred from relying on unfair means during examinations, be it copying or otherwise.

There are over a thousand students in Bhagat Puran Singh Memorial Senior Secondary School and Girls College. And, the notebooks are provided to the students at concessional rate.

Students appreciate such the initiative to develop their faith in honesty. "It's very useful in our life. We learn to be honest in life, which is very important for us. A truthful man is always successful in his life. So, we should be honest," said Ramandeep Singh, one of the students.

Moreover, around 60 per cent of the students avail the free-ship education extended by the management. The institution relies solely on donations from well-wishers and has never sought any assistance from the Government.

For strengthening the financial strength of the school, each member of the 21-members of the management committee donates rupees 1,100 at the beginning of every year. And recently to buy a school bus, each one of them contributed Rs. 20,000!

This school-cum-college caters to the needs of 82 villages in its periphery.

There are two computer laboratories while a science laboratory is being set up.

But due to paucity of adequate funds the school is functioning in an austere manner.

But all said and done, the greatest asset of this institution is the honesty that it practices as well as preaches. By Karan Kapoor

ANI