School closures across states raise concerns amid Govt of India claims of improved access

By A Representative

A recent report has raised concerns over the closure and merger of government schools in several Indian states, particularly in Bihar, where a significant number of institutions have reportedly been shut down or earmarked for closure.

According to information cited by the Right to Education (RTE) Forum in Katihar district, around 1,773 schools in Bihar have already been closed, with a list of approximately 8,500 additional schools identified for phased closure in line with directives from the state’s education department.

The report, attributed to district coordinator Suraj Gupta and shared by Mitra Ranjan of the RTE Forum, describes the trend as worrying at a time when there is a need to expand access to education, strengthen infrastructure, and provide buildings for schools that lack proper facilities.

The report also notes that similar processes of school closure and merger are being observed in other states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. It argues that such measures could affect efforts to ensure equitable, inclusive and quality education, particularly in rural and underserved areas.

Amid these developments, the Union government has maintained that decisions regarding the opening, closure and rationalisation of schools fall under the jurisdiction of state governments and Union Territory administrations. In a written reply to a Lok Sabha question on February 2, 2026, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that education is a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution, giving states primary responsibility in such matters.

At the same time, the Centre has presented data suggesting improvements in schooling outcomes. Referring to figures from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+), the government has claimed that access to schooling has improved across levels, with the Gross Access Ratio rising between 2018–19 and 2024–25, and dropout rates declining. �

Closure of Government Schools .pdf None

However, these claims of improved access and retention come against the backdrop of reports indicating the closure or planned closure of a large number of government schools across multiple states. Education advocates have pointed to this apparent contradiction, questioning whether gains in aggregate indicators fully capture the impact of school closures on local access, particularly in remote and disadvantaged areas.

The issue continues to generate debate among policymakers and civil society groups, with discussions focusing on how to balance administrative rationalisation with the constitutional mandate to ensure universal, equitable and accessible education for all children.

Comments

Civil society flags widespread violations of land acquisition Act before Parliamentary panel

By Jag Jivan Civil society organisations and stakeholders from across India have presented stark evidence before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Rural Development and Panchayati Raj , alleging systemic violations of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013 , particularly in Scheduled Areas and tribal regions.

Manufacturing, services: India's low-skill, middle-skill labour remains underemployed

By Francis Kuriakose* The Indian economy was in a state of deceleration well before Covid-19 made its impact in early 2020. This can be inferred from the declining trends of four important macroeconomic variables that indicate the health of the economy in the last quarter of 2019.

Food security? Gujarat govt puts more than 5 lakh ration cards in the 'silent' category

By Pankti Jog* A new statistical report uploaded by the Gujarat government on the national food security portal shows that ensuring food security for the marginalized community is still not a priority of the state. The statistical report, uploaded on December 24, highlights many weaknesses in implementing the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in state.

Why Indo-Pak relations have been on 'knife’s edge' , hostilities may remain for long

By Utkarsh Bajpai* The past few decades have seen strides being made in all aspects of life – from sticks and stones to weaponry. The extreme case of this phenomenon has been nuclear weapons. The menace caused by nuclear weapons in the past is unforgettable. Images of Hiroshima and Nagasaki from 1945 come to mind, after the United States dropped two atomic bombs on the cities.

Incarceration of Prof Saibaba 'revives' the question: What is crime, who is criminal?

By Kunal Pant* In 2016, a Supreme Court Judge asked the state of Maharashtra, “Do you want to extract a pound of flesh?” The statement was directed against the state for contesting the bail plea of Delhi University Professor GN Saibaba. Saibaba was arrested in 2014, a justification for which was to prevent him from committing what the police called “anti-national activities.”

The soundtrack of resistance: How 'Sada Sada Ya Nabi' is fueling the Iran war

By Syed Ali Mujtaba* The Persian track “ Sada Sada Ya Nabi ye ” by Hossein Sotoodeh has taken the world by storm. This viral media has cut across linguistic barriers to achieve cult status, reaching over 10 million views. The electrifying music and passionate rendition by the Iranian singer have resonated across the globe, particularly as the high-intensity military conflict involving Iran entered its second month in March 2026.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

Beyond the island: Top mythologist reorients the geography of the Ramayana

By Jag Jivan In a compelling new analysis that challenges conventional geographical assumptions about the ancient epic, writer and mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik has traced the roots of the Ramayana to the forests and river systems of Central and Eastern India, rather than the peninsular south or the modern island nation of Sri Lanka.

Concentration of wealth in India at levels 'comparable to colonial times', says new report

By Jag Jivan A new report published in March 2026 by the Centre for Financial Accountability and the Tax The Top campaign paints a stark picture of deepening economic disparity in India, documenting a concentration of wealth that it argues is “comparable to colonial times.” Titled Wealth Tracker India | Tax the Top. Close the Gap , the compilation presents data from the World Inequality Database and the Hurun Rich List to illustrate the meteoric rise of the ultra-wealthy alongside the stagnation and debt burdens of the majority.

Search This Blog