Lessons to learn: The crowd at Gandhi Maidan before the stampede occurred on the day of Dussehra

This year’s Siksha Divas (education day) ceremony will not be held at Gandhi Maidan unlike last November.

The state education department has been organising Siksha Divas on November 11, to mark the birth anniversary of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the first education minister of independent India.

During the three-day event, numbers of cultural and educational programme used to be held at Gandhi Maidan and other venues such as SK Memorial Hall among others.

Education department deputy director R.S. Singh said: “The education department this year has decided not to organise any function at Gandhi Maidan as large crowds gathered at the ground to witness various cultural programmes and other science exhibitions. Also, renovation and construction work at Gandhi Maidan would be carried out during the period.”

This year, the main function will be held at SK Memorial Hall while the science exhibition will be held at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies. The cultural programmes will be held at Premchand Rangshala (Rajendra Nagar) and Kalidas Rangalaya (Near Gandhi Maidan police station). The idea behind splitting the venue is to divide the crowd so that no venue records huge footfall at a time.

This year’s theme of Siksha Divas is girls’ education. Students from various government schools and colleges will present cultural programmes highlighting the importance of girls’ education and the how society is benefited with improvement in female education.

Sanjay Kumar Kundan, deputy director, mass education, said: “Students from government schools and colleges will present cultural programmes highlighting the importance of girls’ education.”

As former chief minister Nitish Kumar had given special importance to girls’ education with the launch of various schemes such as bicycle and uniform scheme for girls, the programme will highlight how these welfare schemes has helped in girls education in state. Also, students from Kilkari will present a play on girls’ education.

The education department deputy director added that as there would be construction work during Siksha Divas they did not want any inconvenience for visitors.

Sources said broken benches would be replaced as per government plans. Drains along the boundary of Gandhi Maidan would be repaired and all gates would have watchtowers and a permanent public address system.

Moreover, the footpath on the outer periphery of the Maidan would be repaired. The sources added that all these construction work at Gandhi Maidan would start within a month. The education department does not want to inconvenience visitors during the ceremony either.

The Bihar Divas and Siksha Divas are two ceremonies, which are being organised by the education department — the nodal agency of these functions — on a grand scale. A huge stage representing the state’s cultural and historical heritage is prepared from where either the chief minister, governor or the education minister addresses the people. Last year, the main stage was a replica of the ruins of ancient Nalanda University.

Apart from the main stage, there were seven different pavilions where various scientific as well as cultural programmes were held last year. Also, there is science exhibition where students from all over the state participates, the best teams or schools for their scientific temper are also awarded on the occasion on the last day either by chief minister or governor.

Apart from cultural and educational programmes, it has been observed that chief minister on the last day has been making some announcements for teachers or students where huge crowd gathers.

Like previous year, science exhibition will be held at AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies where students from various government schools will exhibit their exhibitions on seven science topics such as agriculture, energy, environment and its protection and others.

Apart from science exhibition, “Inspire” awardees will also exhibit their best scientific models, which would include the gold medal-winning ones at the national level. The cultural programme will be held at Premchand Rangshala. The education department is planning to organise play on social issues.