Ludhiana, Sept. 18 -- Government schools are set to begin their midterm examinations from Thursday, but the shadow of unfinished lessons and recent disruptions continues to loom large. Teachers and students alike have expressed deep concern that the syllabus remains incomplete, largely due to the twin setbacks of Mission Samrath and the floods that forced schools to close for more than ten days.

While private schools managed to conduct online classes during the closure, government school students were left without any such option. The result, many say, is a widening gap in preparedness.

A Class 8 student from a Government Senior Secondary School summed up the anxiety. "We are not ready to sit for the exams. First, schools were closed du...