Archive · 21 Aug 2026
Yogi Calls for Sarvodaya School Overhaul, Pensions and Scholarships
Uttar Pradesh’s chief minister wants government residential schools to be managed more carefully.
He asked officials to make clear rules and hire teachers for empty positions.
The state has 103 Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya schools.
Students in several districts had protested about teachers, facilities and infrastructure.
The chief minister also said older people who qualify for pensions should not have to wait too long.
About 11.50 lakh new pension applications are waiting to be processed.
A coaching programme for competitive exams serves students through 163 centres.
Officials were also told to give about 3.16 lakh students another chance to receive scholarships by reopening the application portal.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered clearer rules and more systematic management for 103 Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya residential schools.
Officials were directed to accelerate recruitment for vacant teaching posts and provide other staff based on students’ academic needs.
Around 11.50 lakh new old-age pension applications are pending, prompting orders for faster verification and approval.
The Mukhyamantri Abhyudaya Yojana has 163 centres, 1,783 empanelled teachers and 23,801 students across Uttar Pradesh’s 75 districts.
Officials were told to reopen the scholarship portal and transfer benefits by October 2 to about 3.16 lakh previously excluded students.
- Who
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Social Welfare Minister Asim Arun and state department officials.
- What
- A Social Welfare Department review addressed Sarvodaya school management, teacher vacancies, old-age pensions, competitive-exam coaching and scholarships.
- When
- The review was reported as taking place on Thursday, August 20; scholarship payments were ordered by October 2, while the cited school and programme figures cover 2025-26.
- Where
- Lucknow and programmes operated across Uttar Pradesh’s 75 districts.
- Why
- The directives were intended to improve school operations, address staffing and facility concerns, speed up pension processing, expand exam guidance and ensure eligible students receive scholarships.
Student Concerns
Government Response
School staffing and facilities
Student Concerns
Students protested in several districts over teacher shortages, basic amenities and infrastructure; Lucknow students reportedly blocked traffic twice within a week amid rains.
Government Response
Adityanath ordered faster recruitment for vacant teaching posts, adequate additional staff, an assessment of facilities and clearer operating rules.
Timeliness of welfare benefits
Student Concerns
Eligible elderly people were awaiting pension decisions, while about 3.16 lakh students had been left out of scholarship benefits for various reasons.
Government Response
Officials were instructed to complete pension verification and approval within a stipulated timeframe, reopen the scholarship portal and transfer scholarship amounts by October 2.
Competitive-exam preparation
Student Concerns
The reported concerns about educational support indicate a need for students to receive broader access to quality guidance and experienced instructors.
Government Response
The chief minister directed officials to use resources more effectively and extend the reach of the best teachers and experts through the Abhyudaya Yojana.
- Sarvodaya schools
- The number of Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya schools rose from 93 before 2017 to 103 in 2025-26.
- School affiliations
- Of the 103 schools, 59 are affiliated with the Central Board of Secondary Education and 44 with the Uttar Pradesh Board.
- Student protests
- Students in Lucknow, Kannauj, Unnao, Fatehpur, Hamirpur, Mahoba and Azamgarh, among other places, protested over basic amenities, infrastructure and other demands.
- Pending pensions
- Around 11.50 lakh new applications under the National Old Age Pension Scheme were pending.
- Pension beneficiaries
- The scheme’s beneficiaries increased from 37.47 lakh in 2017-18 to 67.50 lakh in 2025-26.
- Abhyudaya Yojana
- The scheme has 163 centres, 1,783 empanelled teachers and 23,801 registered students, including candidates for UPSC, PCS, NEET, JEE and NDA/CDS examinations.
- Scholarship opportunity
- About 3.16 lakh previously excluded students are being given another opportunity: 31,836 from government institutions, 69,631 from aided institutions and 2,46,426 from private institutions.
