AFTER India became independent in 1947, there was momentum to build a new education system. A large number of government schools were established, and many private schools run by educational societies were brought into the aided school system, where the government provided salaries for teachers and prompted the managements to have their teachers obtain the required qualifications. State education boards were set up to organise the school curriculum and examination with universities focussing only on higher education. From 823 high schools in the entire undivided British Punjab, we now have about 8000 high schools in Indian Punjab alone.