Closure of Primary Schools in India : A Deliberate Public Policy Initiative

The closure of primary schools in India has been a significant and multifaceted issue, shaped by government policies, economic factors, external crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, and, as some argue, ideological priorities that favor religious influence over equitable education. Below is an overview based on trends and information up to February 20, 2025, with the added lens of religion and caste dynamics.

Historical Context and Trends

Over the past decade, India has witnessed a decline in primary schools, especially government-run ones. Between 2018-19 and 2019-20, approximately 51,000 government schools closed—a 4.78% drop—often due to "school rationalization," merging institutions with low enrollment (e.g., fewer than 50 students) to cut costs. States like Uttar Pradesh (26,074 closures) and Madhya Pradesh (22,904 closures) led this trend, citing financial unsustainability under the Right to Education (RTE) Act’s teacher-per-class mandate. Meanwhile, private schools grew by 11,739 (3.6%) in the same period, highlighting a privatization shift. The overall school count further dropped by 20,000 between 2020-21 and 2021-22, with many closures linked to the pandemic’s impact on private institutions.

COVID-19 Impact

The pandemic intensified this crisis, closing 1.5 million schools in 2020 and affecting 247 million students. India’s 82-week closure—one of the world’s longest—caused severe learning losses, especially among the poor, where only 8% studied online regularly and 37% stopped entirely (2021 survey). Limited digital access (24% of households had internet pre-COVID) and delayed reopenings due to misinformation and poor planning increased dropouts, particularly in rural areas.

Recent Developments (2024-2025)

As of February 20, 2025, specific closures persist. In March 2024, Jharkhand’s Chief Minister criticized the prior BJP government for shutting 5,000 rural primary schools, alleging it targeted adivasi, Dalit, and backward communities. Temporary closures in late 2024—due to pollution in Delhi and Haryana or Cyclone Fengal in Tamil Nadu—added to disruptions. X posts in early 2025 lament ongoing government school closures, linking them to inadequate education funding.

Religion Over Education: A Caste-Based Critique

Some critics argue that these closures reflect a deeper ideological shift, where religion is prioritized over education to perpetuate caste inequalities reminiscent of the ManuSmriti. This ancient text, foundational to Hindu orthodoxy, enshrined a rigid caste hierarchy—Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (warriors), Vaishyas (traders), and Shudras (servants)—with education historically reserved for upper castes and denied to lower ones, especially Shudras and Dalits. Critics allege that reducing access to primary education, particularly in rural and marginalized areas, aligns with this framework by limiting upward mobility for lower castes and reinforcing traditional power structures.

This perspective posits that policies favoring school mergers or closures—disproportionately affecting disadvantaged groups—may be tacitly supported by political agendas emphasizing religious identity (e.g., Hindutva) over secular education. For instance, the closure of 5,000 schools in Jharkhand’s tribal areas could be seen as depriving non-Hindu or lower-caste communities of educational equity, forcing them into labor or dependency rather than empowerment. X users have echoed this sentiment, claiming that "religion-driven governance" neglects primary education to maintain caste-based subordination, though such claims often lack empirical data and remain speculative as of now.

Reasons for Closures

1. Policy-Driven Mergers: Merging low-enrollment schools reduces costs but limits access, especially in rural areas where travel distances deter attendance.
2. Economic Factors: Poverty and poor infrastructure drive low enrollment and high dropouts, justifying closures.
3. Privatization Trends: The growth of private schools pulls students from government institutions, shrinking their viability.
4. External Shocks: Pandemics and environmental crises cause temporary or prolonged closures.
5. Ideological Prioritization: Critics argue that emphasizing religious education or identity over universal schooling deliberately restricts opportunities for lower castes, echoing ManuSmriti’s caste-based exclusion.

Implications

• Educational Equity: Closures hit marginalized groups hardest, deepening socio-economic divides and potentially caste disparities.
• Dropout Rates: Rural children, often from lower castes, drop out (26% before Class 5 pre-COVID) when schools merge or close, reinforcing labor roles over education.
• Community Impact: Schools as social equalizers vanish, affecting local cohesion and services like mid-day meals.
• Caste Reinforcement: Limited education access could perpetuate historical inequalities, aligning with critiques of a ManuSmriti-inspired social order.

Moving Forward

The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 targets foundational learning by 2025, but success hinges on reversing closures and bolstering rural schools. Post-COVID initiatives like PM eVIDYA (expanding educational TV channels) aim to bridge gaps, yet critics argue they prioritize syllabus over holistic recovery. If religion is indeed overshadowing education, as alleged, addressing this would require a shift toward secular, inclusive policies—a contentious debate in India’s polarized landscape.

In summary, primary school closures in India stem from pragmatic and systemic issues, but the critique of religion trumping education adds a provocative layer. It suggests closures might not just be logistical but part of a socio-political strategy to entrench caste inequalities akin to ManuSmriti’s vision, though concrete evidence for this intent remains anecdotal as of February 20, 2025.

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