'GP Sir's classes' a ray of hope for the poor

Shrishti (name changed), 31, hails from the Valmiki community based in Gurdaspur, Punjab; she was born into a family of safai karamcharis - cleaners and at 21, married into another.

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For her, 'GP Sir's Law Class' is a ray of hope and a way out; Shrishti aims to be a judge.

The 'GP' stands for Gurvinder Pal Singh, chairman of the Punjab and Haryana Bar Council in 2010, member for another three years and a total of 35 years of experience in practising law. Shrishti - she doesn't use a last name - joined in 2023 and at present, there are 140 students like her enrolled in GP Sir's Law Class.

Singh, 65, trains them to clear the state Provincial Civil Service Judicial Exam (PCS-J), an entry-level exam for law graduates to become members of the subordinate judiciary in Punjab, Haryana, and some neighbouring states. In addition to coaching them, he also furnishes food, rent and books to those who can't manage these on their own.

The PCS-J exam is conducted by the state's Public Service Commission and involves three rounds: a pre-examination test, mains and an interview. The law classes began in 2019 but have seen remarkable success. In just the last two years, 23 aspirants from extremely poor and marginalised backgrounds have cracked the exam; 14 of them cleared in just 2023.

That's how Shrishti heard of him. "One day in November 2023, after reading about the coaching, I called GP sir and told him about my dream of empowering women from my community and wanting to prepare for PCS exams.

Within a week, my hostel was arranged and I was added to the main group of learners. While my in-laws refused and my parents didn't have enough money for my coaching, it was just GP sir's support that gave me a ray of hope," she said.