Uttar Pradesh’s Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Basic Education, Sandeep Singh, informed the state assembly on Tuesday that school infrastructure has significantly improved since 2017 through Operation Kayakalp . He confirmed that 65 percent of schools now have furniture, with a 100 percent target set for this year. Singh also reported no increase in primary school enrolment for the 2024-25 academic year compared to 2023-24, attributing this stability to the upgrading of primary schools into composite schools.
School Infrastructure Upgrades and Operation Kayakalp
Minister Singh detailed the state government’s initiatives to enhance basic education facilities. He stated that in 2017, when the BJP government first took office, numerous schools across Uttar Pradesh were in dilapidated conditions. The current administration launched Operation Kayakalp to systematically address these structural and facility shortcomings. This operation has focused on renovating school buildings, ensuring basic amenities, and creating a better learning environment for students.
Responding to a question from Samajwadi Party (SP) member Samar Pal Singh, the Minister highlighted the tangible progress. He reported that 65 percent of government schools have now been equipped with essential furniture for students. The Basic Education Department has set an ambitious target to provide furniture to all government schools by the end of the current financial year. Singh used the opportunity to draw a contrast, stating that during the previous SP government’s tenure, schools lacked such fundamental furniture facilities.
Primary Enrolment Trends and Composite Schools
The Minister presented the latest enrolment figures for the 2024-25 academic year. He confirmed that there has been no reported increase in the number of children attending primary schools when compared to the preceding 2023-24 period. This data was provided in response to specific inquiries from SP members Dr Ragini Sonkar and Brijesh Katheria. Singh clarified the underlying reason for this static primary enrolment. He explained that a significant number of existing primary schools have undergone upgrades, transitioning into composite schools . These upgraded institutions now offer a broader educational span, covering classes from grade one through grade eight, which reclassifies student counts from purely primary categories.
Evolution of Medium of Instruction Policy
Singh also provided insights into the changing medium of instruction in state schools. He noted that before the full implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) within the Basic Education Department, English was the prescribed medium for teaching. During this earlier phase, approximately 12,279 schools were specifically established and operated with English as their primary teaching language. However, following the widespread adoption of the NEP, the policy underwent a significant shift. The current directive emphasizes that the primary medium of instruction should align with the mother tongue, local language, or regional language of the students. Consequently, English is now taught as a distinct and compulsory subject in all government schools across Uttar Pradesh, rather than serving as the general medium of instruction.
Future Plans for Teacher Recruitment and Examinations
Discussions in the state assembly also touched upon future reforms concerning educational personnel and assessment. Responding to questions from SP members Sachin Yadav and Prabhu Narayan, Minister Singh outlined the government’s forward-looking intentions. He assured the House that the government is committed to considering the formulation of a comprehensive and concrete policy. This prospective policy is designed to ensure the regular conduct of examinations across the education system. Furthermore, it aims to streamline and complete the recruitment process for vacant teacher positions within primary schools, ensuring these appointments occur within a clearly defined and transparent timeframe.