Fresh coat of confusion: Mishmash of school colours in Ludhiana after paint mandate

Ludhiana: A Punjab govt directive to repaint select state school buildings using a specific new colour combination has disrupted visual uniformity across Ludhiana district. Issued in December 2025 by the office of the Punjab director general of school education, the order mandated a specific whitewash and colour-coding scheme for 852 govt middle, high, and senior secondary schools across the state in its initial phase.

The first phase of the project targets 70 schools in Ludhiana, comprising 20 high schools and 50 senior secondary schools. A stark visual contrast has emerged because some listed schools have fully implemented the new colour scheme, while others are still in the middle of incomplete repainting work.

Compounding the lack of uniformity, school managements not included in the first-phase list are painting their buildings in completely different colours of their own choosing. Deputy district education officer (secondary) Amandeep Singh clarified that these unlisted institutions retain the autonomy to select their own paint, stating they can choose colours traditionally used for school buildings for the time being.

According to the govt guidelines, the mandated interior scheme requires “Bronze Mist” for classroom walls and “Sea Oats” for the ceilings. For the exterior corridors, verandas, and structural borders, the department selected a colour named “Rhapsody”.

The specific palette has drawn criticism from local school union leaders, who raised formal concerns when the order was first released. The union representatives claim that the chosen colour scheme closely resembles the flag of the party leading the state govt.