Sree Rama Varma (SRV) Government Higher Secondary School is celebrating its 180th anniversary this Sunday. Despite a proud history with famous alumni like scientist K. Kasturirangan and spiritual leader Swami Chinmayananda, the school faces a serious crisis. Student numbers in the high school section have dropped sharply over the past decade, now totaling only 50 for all three classes combined. Among them are 11 migrant students. Previously, SRV had thousands of students in each grade until the 1990s. School officials say they try to attract new students every year but face challenges. "We do try to canvass students ahead of every academic year, but with little success, given the lack of facilities, including a vehicle for conveyance. While a vehicle can be procured through funds from elected representatives, there are no avenues to meet operational expenses such as fuel, staff salaries, maintenance, insurance, and taxes. Moreover, there is poaching from other schools. For instance, five students who were about to join at the start of this academic year were lured away by two other schools in the city," they said. The high school section, originally for boys, started admitting girls only last year. Now, there are 10 girls enrolled. The girls’ football team performs well but relies on support from the district sports council. However, the school lacks a physical education teacher due to few students. Due to low numbers, high school classes are held on the first floor, while the ground floor is used for vocational higher secondary classes. The school also lacks enough laboratories and hopes the Kochi Corporation will help provide a mathematics lab. If the student count keeps falling, the eight current teaching posts may be cut further. The 180th anniversary celebrations are organized by the Old Students’ Association and will include an alumni meet on Sunday, running from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.