UP School Merger Sparks Protests Across State, Opposition Parties, Unions Demand Rollback

Lucknow: The decision of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Uttar Pradesh to merge schools with fewer than 50 students with nearby schools has triggered a storm of protests.

Opposition parties, teachers' unions, student bodies, and civil society organisations have been urging Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to withdraw the policy, which they claim threatens the rights of marginalised children and risks increasing dropout and illiteracy rates.

The state government has defended the move, claiming it aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and will improve the quality of education. Officials argue that merging smaller schools will maximise resources and promote a more collaborative and inclusive learning environment.

On June 16, 2025, Deepak Kumar, the additional chief secretary for basic education had issued the merger directive to district magistrates.

In the letter, Kumar stated, “In the context of the National Education Policy-2020 and the NCF for Foundational Stage (2022), it is essential to promote collaboration, coordination, and shared use of resources among schools so that every student can have an experience of quality, inclusive, and joyful learning.”

According to government records, there are approximately 1.32 lakh (132,000) primary and upper primary schools in the state. Thousands of teachers serve in these institutions, providing basic education to children across rural and urban Uttar Pradesh.

Opposition terms move 'anti-student'

The opposition parties have sharply criticised the policy, questioning the logic behind the move.

“We raised this issue by protesting on the streets of the state capital, and now my party will protest on the floor of the House for the education of deprived students,” Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Ashutosh Sinha told The Wire.

Sinha called the decision “senseless” and said it lacks practical logic.

"Nearly 20,000 primary schools in the state have only one classroom. According to the rules, only 35 students can sit in one classroom. How is it possible to accommodate 50 students in such schools?” said Sinha.

He also warned that the merger could increase dropout rates.

“Many of the new schools are located far from the old ones. Economically weak students will not be able to travel such distances. Before implementing this, the government must arrange proper transportation,” Sinha added.

Students’ groups take to the streets

On July 1, the Congress-affiliated National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) staged a protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Vidhan Sabha. The NSUI national coordinator, Vishal Singh, slammed the decision, calling it an "authoritarian move."

“The Congress government made education a fundamental right through the 86th Constitutional Amendment. But the current BJP regime wants to deprive rural and economically weak students of education so they cannot raise their voices against its communal, pro-corporate and anti-poor policies,” Singh told The Wire.

He alleged that the policy would effectively shut down more than 27,000 government schools, mostly affecting children from underprivileged backgrounds. The NSUI called for an immediate rollback, warning that the move would severely damage rural access to education.

'The poor simply cannot afford distant education'

Several Left parties and organisations have also raised their voices against the policy. A coalition including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)), the All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), and the Students’ Federation of India (SFI) strongly condemned the government’s action.

Madhu Garg, CPI(M) district secretary and a prominent women’s rights activist, said, “This decision is a direct attack on the fundamental right to education guaranteed by the Constitution. In the past decade alone, more than 25,000 schools have been shut. Now 5,000 more are under threat.”

She added, “We conducted a field survey in two different localities and found that after school mergers, children have dropped out severely. The poor simply cannot afford distant education.”

Garg also challenged the government's justification for avoiding "resource waste." She said, “Instead of asking why enrolment is dropping, the government is punishing rural children by shutting their schools.”

Vandana Rai of the AIDWA highlighted the adverse effect that the merger could have on girls’ education. “In today’s unsafe environment, no parent will send their daughter to a school 3–4 kilometres away,” she said.

Abdul Wahab, state secretary of the SFI, expressed concern over the broader implications. “Education should not become a privilege for the few. If this trend continues, we are creating a future generation of uneducated citizens,” he said.

Wahab also alleged, “I think this move is a deliberate attempt to promote the privatisation of the education sector.”

Teachers and trainees fear for their jobs

Teachers’ unions and education sector trainees have also joined the growing resistance, citing threats to employment and recruitment.

The BTC-DL.Ed Joint Forum's state president, Abhishek Tiwari, issued a warning and said that protests will be held in Lucknow if the decision remains unchanged.

“This step, disguised as a pairing of schools, is a tactic to eliminate teacher posts. By closing schools, the government will reduce sanctioned positions and avoid fresh recruitment. We will not accept this conspiracy,” he said.

Sunil Pandey, a teacher union leader, echoed the concerns. “The move would adversely affect the education of economically weak students. Their parents can neither afford the hefty fees of private schools nor pay for transportation. They prefer schools located near their homes.”

Pandey criticised the government for overlooking its existing challenges. “Many teachers are already deployed in non-teaching duties like election work, census, and health drives. The teaching process is already suffering. Now, the merger will stop new teacher recruitments, increasing both illiteracy and unemployment,” he said.

The policy has also sparked strong local resistance. Residents of Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Ward 01) submitted a petition to Chief Minister Adityanath demanding the cancellation of the proposed merger of Jhiljhila Purwa Primary School, which was established in 2006.

In a letter to the chief minister, Ward Corporator Chandrawati stated, “The school serves extremely poor children, and the nearest alternative is 2.3 kilometres away – an unmanageable distance for young students.”

She noted that the school has excellent infrastructure and strong academic performance. Parents, villagers, and the school committee have collectively opposed the merger.

Legal relief for government

Despite mounting pressure to rollback of the policy, the state government remains resolute. Director general of school education, Kanchan Verma, said that there will be no  reconsideration about policy.

“There are 1.32 lakh primary schools in Uttar Pradesh. The pairing of nearly 10,000 schools has already been completed,” she told The Wire.

Verma explained that the initiative aims to enhance learning experiences.

"Pairing gives children exposure to different teachers and classmates, which will be helpful for their growth. Teachers and cooks will be transferred along with the students, and their jobs are secure,” she said.

In a move that came as a relief for the state government, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad high court upheld the state government’s policy on July 7. The court dismissed two writ petitions challenging the June 16 order and instructed the state to ensure compliance with the Right to Education Act, particularly concerning transportation facilities for students.

A second petition was dismissed on July 10, citing the earlier ruling as binding precedent.

As the debate over school mergers intensifies, the Adityanath government finds itself at the centre of a political and social storm. While the administration argues for educational reform and efficiency, critics warn that the policy could deepen inequality, increase dropouts, and dismantle public education infrastructure. The issue remains far from settled, with protests growing and the opposition preparing to raise it in the assembly.

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