The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Thursday extended its interim order directing status quo on the Uttar Pradesh government’s school pairing policy in Sitapur district till September 1.
The bench, comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhasali and Justice Jaspreet Singh, also directed the state government to place on record its order whereby it decided not to pair schools located within a kilometre of each other and having a student strength exceeding 50.
The direction came while hearing special appeals filed separately by Master Nitesh Kumar and others. On July 24, the court had first ordered the state to maintain status quo on proceedings related to school pairing in Sitapur, noting that “some discrepancies” were evident in the records produced by the government.
The Yogi Adityanath government’s “school pairing” initiative, announced in June, aims to merge more than 10,000 primary and upper primary schools with fewer than 50 students into nearby institutions. Officials defend the move as an effort to rationalise resources, enhance teacher availability, and align the state’s education system with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
However, the policy has sparked widespread political and public opposition. Critics argue that it amounts to a covert attempt to close down government schools in marginalised and rural areas, thereby curtailing access to education for vulnerable children. Concerns have also been raised over potential rise in dropout rates, as students may be compelled to travel longer distances to attend school.
The plan has already triggered street protests, multiple petitions before courts, and heated debates in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Opposition parties have accused the government of undermining public education in favour of consolidation, while the government insists that the policy will improve learning outcomes and optimise infrastructure.
The case will now be taken up again on September 1, when the state government is expected to submit the relevant order for the court’s consideration.
