Yogi Government Fires Back at Akhilesh Yadav Over Alleged Closure of 26,000 Schools in UP
The Uttar Pradesh government has issued a sharp and decisive counter-retort to Samajwadi Party national president Akhilesh Yadav following his explosive allegations that more than 26,000 schools have been shut down across the state over the past decade. Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh completely dismissed the claims during a press interaction, labeling the opposition leader's statements as factually bankrupt and irresponsible. Joining the rebuttal, Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar also launched a blistering counter-attack, exposing the systemic flaws, rampant examination cheating, and law-and-order deterioration that characterized the state's educational landscape during past SP regimes.
The Reality Behind School Mergers: Over 1.32 Lakh Council Schools Operating
Addressing the core allegations, Basic Education Minister Sandeep Singh clarified that the state government currently operates an expansive network of 132,773 council schools alongside 71,877 functional Bal Vatikas, proving that no educational institutions have been arbitrarily shut down. He explained that approximately 19,000 schools operating independently within the same shared campus boundaries were administratively merged to optimize resource allocation and improve institutional efficiency. Additionally, 5,913 schools with fewer than 50 students situated within a one-kilometer radius of another facility were integrated to enhance peer learning environments. Singh emphasized that these schools remain active for pre-primary Bal Vatika classes, ensuring that neither student enrollment nor teacher employment has been compromised.
Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar Slams Past SP Governance and Cheating Culture
Escalating the political confrontation, Cabinet Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar accused the Samajwadi Party of making a political business out of falsehoods. Highlighting the stark evolution of the state's educational infrastructure, Rajbhar noted that the Yogi administration has successfully established cutting-edge Atal Residential Schools across all 18 administrative divisions of Uttar Pradesh—an ambitious leap forward that the opposition could never conceptualize. Contrasting current conditions with past administrations, Rajbhar alleged that during SP rule, examination systems were entirely broken, with students openly solving question papers inside agricultural fields amidst unchecked mass cheating, while government jobs were routinely traded for cash.
Transformation Under Yogi Adityanath: Safe Schools and Transparent Recruitments
Concluding the defense of the state's educational reforms, the ruling alliance underscored the massive strides achieved under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s governance model. Highlighting the restoration of public safety, Rajbhar noted that the pervasive atmosphere of fear and harassment that once plagued female students outside school gates has been replaced by a secure, riot-free environment where girls pursue education without fear. Backed by over nine lakh transparent public sector job placements and modernized school facilities, the Yogi administration has firmly established that its priority remains the holistic empowerment of Uttar Pradesh's youth.
