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Congress Challenges BJP Over School Closures and Office Expansion
The Congress criticized the government on Teachers’ Day over changes in India’s schools.
It said about 94,000 government schools closed over ten years.
It also said the number of enrolled students fell by 2.26 crore.
Congress leader Pawan Khera compared this with the BJP building and planning hundreds of party offices.
A NITI Aayog report reported a fall in total school enrolment during the same period.
The report said government and government-aided schools declined.
Private schools increased in number.
Congress said these figures showed that political expansion was being prioritized over public education.
Congress leader Pawan Khera said about 94,000 government schools closed between 2014-15 and 2024-25.
Khera said school enrolment fell by 2.26 crore during the same period.
He contrasted the closures with reported plans for 290 completed, 105 under-construction and 123 planned BJP offices.
A NITI Aayog report said total enrolment fell from 26.95 crore to 24.69 crore between 2014-15 and 2024-25.
Government schools declined from 11.07 lakh to 10.13 lakh, while private schools rose from 2.88 lakh to 3.39 lakh.
- Who
- The Congress, including media and publicity department chairman Pawan Khera, criticized the Narendra Modi-led government and cited figures from a NITI Aayog report.
- What
- Congress contrasted the closure of government schools and falling enrolment with the reported expansion of BJP offices.
- Where
- Across India.
- When
- The comments were made on Teachers’ Day, concerning the period from 2014-15 to 2024-25; the cited NITI Aayog report was released in May 2026, according to the article.
- Why
- Khera argued that the figures showed the ruling party was prioritizing its organizational expansion over public education.
Key facts
- Government school closures
- The number fell from 11.07 lakh in 2014-15 to 10.13 lakh in 2024-25, a decline of about 94,000 schools.
- Total enrolment
- Enrolment declined from 26.95 crore children to 24.69 crore.
- Government-aided schools
- The number declined from 83,000 to 79,000.
- Private schools
- The number increased from 2.88 lakh to 3.39 lakh.
- BJP offices
- Pawan Khera cited 290 offices built, 105 under construction and land acquired for 123 more.
- Cited report
- NITI Aayog’s report was titled School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement.
Quotes
Pawan Khera
Congress media and publicity department chairman
“They have bulldozed the foundations of India’s education system while obsessing over building the BJP’s own footprint — making the party’s image bigger and bigger, even as the future of millions of children gets smaller and smaller.”
telegraphindia.com
“Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, 94,000 schools shut down across India — roughly 25 every day — while student enrolment fell by 2.26 crore”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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