The government’s decision to merge thousands of government schools to make better use of limited resources has raised alarms among teachers, parents, and education activists. They worry that this policy could push vulnerable children out of the education system.

Data from the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) reveals that between 2019 and 2024, 14,910 government schools across India either closed or merged. Authorities claim this initiative aims to improve educational quality by consolidating resources and transferring students from schools with low enrollment to larger institutions. Officials argue that merging schools will provide a better teacher-student ratio, higher budgets, and improved learning experiences.

However, the policy has sparked controversy. In Uttar Pradesh, for instance, 10,784 of the state’s 132,000 government schools have merged with larger institutions. This decision led to protests from teachers’ unions and parents, culminating in petitions to the Allahabad High Court. In response to criticism, Sandeep Singh, Minister of State for Basic Education in UP, promised that primary schools more than one kilometer from students’ homes or those with more than 50 students enrolled would not be affected. He emphasized that pairing does not equate to closing schools or reducing teaching posts. He assured that measures would be taken to maintain stability wherever complaints arose.

In Varanasi, district basic education officer Bholendra Pratap Singh mentioned that the pairing process involved thorough discussions with parents, school administrations, and local leaders to minimize issues for students. He asserted that the move complied with the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Singh explained that the policy benefits schools with very few students because budget allocations depend on enrollment numbers. By shifting students to larger schools, overall enrollment rises, leading to more funding and extra teachers. He highlighted improved attendance rates, which have reached 70-80% in paired schools in the district. While he acknowledged that distance to school remains a significant challenge, he proposed that unpairing could be an option where travel becomes a major issue.

Yet, education experts warn that the policy may make children, especially girls and younger students, more vulnerable. An anonymous headmistress at a primary school in Bareilly expressed worries about decreased community involvement, higher absenteeism, and safety risks for girls. She also mentioned the heavy workload on teachers following the merger, noting that her school now accommodates 150 students with just seven teachers. The infrastructure is not sufficient for this increase, with limited classrooms leading to overcrowding. Promised improvements have not materialized, and no additional funding has come in to resolve the space shortage.

The travel challenges for families of daily wage workers and migrant laborers are particularly severe. Many parents are hesitant to send their children farther away, especially girls, due to safety concerns. Some find it more practical and safer to keep their children at home, raising the risk of dropouts. Educators point out that the hidden costs of this merger include dropping levels of parental involvement and community oversight, both essential for ensuring accountability in rural schools.

This is not the first time consolidation policies have faced backlash. Rajasthan dealt with similar resistance in 2014, Madhya Pradesh in 2018, and Odisha in 2018-19. In Maharashtra, this trend has led to a decrease in regional language schools. Shivnath Darade, General Secretary of the Shikshak Parishad in Mumbai, warned that merging schools could speed up the growth of private institutions at the expense of government schools. He stated that private schools, often charging higher fees and offering English-medium instruction, would be the biggest beneficiaries, drawing students away from government and government-aided schools that focus on service.

Darade also noted that moving away from regional languages threatens cultural preservation, despite the National Education Policy emphasizing mother tongue instruction in early education. Over the past 15 years, nearly 1,000 government schools in Maharashtra have closed, reflecting a steady decline in enrollment in schools teaching in local languages.

Brinda Mahesh, an English teacher at Swami Vivekanand School in Mumbai, observed that after mergers or closures, students often have no choice but to adapt. She pointed out that the real issue lies in government neglect; many low-enrollment schools struggle to attract students due to poor infrastructure, which stems from insufficient funding. As school buildings fall into disrepair and facilities remain inadequate, parents who can afford it turn to private options, while those who cannot may pull their children out of school entirely.

While officials present school mergers as a means of using resources more effectively and improving educational results, critics argue that the policy, in its current form, risks deepening inequalities and worsening dropout rates. Without adequate infrastructure improvements, financial support, and protections for vulnerable students, particularly girls, the supposed benefits of larger, better-funded schools may remain out of reach for those who need them most.

This debate highlights a broader tension in India’s education policy: the need to achieve efficiency while ensuring accessibility, especially for rural and marginalized communities. Experiences in various states indicate that school mergers are not merely administrative actions but decisions that can significantly influence the educational futures of millions of children.