Bhopal, August 18 | INFRAINTEL Bureau
(ETV Bharat)
Former Leader of the Opposition Ajay Singh has demanded an immediate suspension of the process to merge government schools in Madhya Pradesh, claiming that the policy is creating serious difficulties for students in rural and remote areas.
Singh has called for the cancellation of all merger orders issued in violation of the prescribed distance criteria. He has also urged the state government to allocate funds for repairing dilapidated school buildings and fill vacant teaching positions without further delay.
The Congress leader criticised the consolidation of government schools under the “Ek Parisar, Ek Shala” and “Sandipani School” policies. He alleged that the merger exercise was effectively being used to reduce the number of operational government schools in the state.
According to Singh, the consequences are being felt most severely by economically disadvantaged and marginalised students in rural areas, particularly girls who may not have access to safe and reliable transport.
Schools Allegedly Merged Despite Distance Restrictions
Singh claimed that the rules governing school mergers were not being followed consistently. While the prescribed merger radius is reportedly two kilometres, he alleged that schools located between five and 10 kilometres apart were being combined in several areas.
He said opposition to the policy had emerged from districts including Sagar, Ujjain, Sehore, Satna, Raisen and Vidisha. Singh also referred to reports of girl students staging a street protest in Ujjain against the merger of their schools.
The allegations indicate that the issue is no longer restricted to administrative restructuring and is developing into a broader political and public concern in several districts.
Increased Distance Could Affect Girls’ Education
Singh said the relocation of students to distant schools and repeated changes in their educational institutions were disproportionately affecting girls.
Many villages lack adequate public transportation and safe travel arrangements. Consequently, families may become reluctant to send girls to schools located several kilometres away, increasing the possibility of irregular attendance and dropouts.
The former opposition leader argued that the merger policy contradicted the objectives of the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign by creating additional barriers to girls’ education.
For students in remote settlements, the distance between home and school can directly influence enrolment, attendance and continuation of education. The impact can become more serious during the monsoon, extreme weather conditions or periods when public transport is unavailable.
Government Urged to Improve Existing School Infrastructure
Singh said the government should concentrate on strengthening existing schools instead of merging them. He demanded priority action to repair unsafe buildings, appoint teachers and provide drinking water, toilets and other essential facilities.
He alleged that the merger process was being used as an easier administrative option instead of addressing long-standing deficiencies in the public education system.
Singh has demanded that all mergers found to be inconsistent with the prescribed rules be withdrawn and vacant teaching positions filled at the earliest. He said these measures were necessary to prevent the education of poor and rural students from being disrupted.
The controversy highlights the need for the government to assess school consolidation on the basis of local geography, transportation, enrolment, gender-related safety and community requirements rather than relying only on administrative or financial considerations.
Any merger exercise affecting rural schools would require transparent distance criteria, consultations with parents and local bodies, safe transport arrangements and monitoring of student attendance after consolidation.
The state government’s response to the allegations and detailed district-level information regarding the schools merged under the policy were not included in the material available for this report.