The Uttar Pradesh government has announced plans to merge 27,764 basic schools with fewer than 50 students as part of an effort to rationalize educational resources. In a review meeting on October 23, Director General Education Kanchan Verma asked all Block School Administrators (BSAs) to begin preparations for the merger of these schools.

The goal is to combine schools with low enrollment rates with neighboring schools with larger student populations. This could help improve infrastructure and the primary education system, allowing for better resource allocation and educational support.

As part of the consolidation plan, students from schools with low enrollment rates will be transferred to neighboring establishments in order to maintain their access to education. Block School Administrators (BSAs) are required to submit their reports on proposed school mergers by November 14, 2024, which could be used for other processes.

The Union government’s commitment to creating more efficient and convenient schools was highlighted at the recent meeting, where the stages of revision were discussed. Education officials were tasked with creating a framework for merging schools, taking into account factors such as transportation, student accessibility and geographic challenges such as canals and highways.

Each school will also be required to submit a brief one-page report describing its current status, which will contribute to a detailed playbook of all schools involved in the merger process for district-level evaluation.

“The main objective is to consolidate resources by integrating schools with low student populations into neighboring schools that have higher enrollment,” an official said.

The state capital alone will see the merger of over 300 institutions over 1618, an official said.