Sign In

Delhi News Daily

  • Home
  • Fashion
  • Business
  • World News
  • Technology
  • Sports
  • Politics
  • Lifestyle
  • Entertainment
Reading: PDA Pathshala Row: SP, BJP At Loggerheads In Uttar Pradesh Over ‘New School Of Thought’ – Delhi News Daily
Share

Delhi News Daily

Font ResizerAa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2022 Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
Delhi News Daily > Blog > Politics > PDA Pathshala Row: SP, BJP At Loggerheads In Uttar Pradesh Over ‘New School Of Thought’ – Delhi News Daily
Politics

PDA Pathshala Row: SP, BJP At Loggerheads In Uttar Pradesh Over ‘New School Of Thought’ – Delhi News Daily

delhinewsdaily
Last updated: August 6, 2025 12:13 am
delhinewsdaily
Share
News18
SHARE


Contents
In the past week alone, three FIRs have been registered against SP leaders and workers for allegedly running PDA Pathshalas without permissionWhat is ‘PDA Ki Pathshala’?The UP government’s school merger policyCrackdown on PDA PathshalasUP minister defends the mergersExperts weigh in

Last Updated:August 05, 2025, 18:10 IST

In the past week alone, three FIRs have been registered against SP leaders and workers for allegedly running PDA Pathshalas without permission

font
According to official figures, Uttar Pradesh has around 1.32 lakh primary schools catering to nearly 1.48 crore children. The government’s school pairing policy, rolled out this year, seeks to merge 10,784 schools with nearby institutions to 'rationalise resources and ensure better facilities'. Representational image/Getty

According to official figures, Uttar Pradesh has around 1.32 lakh primary schools catering to nearly 1.48 crore children. The government’s school pairing policy, rolled out this year, seeks to merge 10,784 schools with nearby institutions to ‘rationalise resources and ensure better facilities’. Representational image/Getty

“PDA Pathshala cannot be stopped by police. The BJP wants OBC and Dalit children to remain uneducated,” Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday while addressing the supporters at the birth anniversary of socialist leader Janeshwar Mishra in Lucknow. The SP chief’s remark has once again brought his party’s “PDA Ki Pathshala” initiative into the spotlight. So is the Samajwadi Party using it as a political plank to consolidate its OBC, Dalit, and minority base ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh assembly elections?

“The chief minister should himself visit these schools to see the conditions. The BJP government has admitted that it shut down or merged several schools. Until new teachers are appointed, our workers will keep teaching children,” said Akhilesh. He accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of deliberately pushing Other Backward Class (OBC) and Dalit children out of the education system, calling it a conspiracy to weaken their reasoning capacity.

What is ‘PDA Ki Pathshala’?

The PDA (short for Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) Pathshala programme was launched by the SP in protest against the state government’s decision to merge more than 10,700 primary schools under its restructuring policy. The party claims that the move, rather than improving quality, has ended up depriving children in marginalised communities of access to basic education. SP cadres and local leaders have since been holding makeshift classes—inside closed schools, at nearby grounds, and sometimes under trees—branding them as PDA Pathshalas.

The initiative gained momentum after videos of these classes circulated on social media, showing children being taught by SP workers. While the party says it is filling a vacuum left by the government, the ruling BJP has hit back, calling it “Samajwadi brainwashing” of innocent minds.

The UP government’s school merger policy

According to official figures, Uttar Pradesh has around 1.32 lakh primary schools catering to nearly 1.48 crore children. The government’s school pairing policy, rolled out this year, seeks to merge 10,784 schools with nearby institutions to “rationalise resources and ensure better facilities”. The basic education department stated that many schools with low enrolment are better utilised if merged with bigger institutions, where students can benefit from improved infrastructure, trained staff, and digital learning resources.

However, critics point out that the merger has left hundreds of villages without functioning schools, forcing children—especially from poor families—to travel longer distances, increasing dropout rates.

Crackdown on PDA Pathshalas

The state government has responded with a heavy hand. In the past week alone, three FIRs have been registered against SP leaders and workers for allegedly running PDA Pathshalas without permission.

In Pratapgarh, an FIR was lodged against SP legislator RK Verma for allegedly breaking the lock of a merged school and conducting classes with political posters and banners. In Kanpur, party leader Rachna Singh Gautam was booked for “spreading rumours” about a school closure and holding classes outside its premises. Similarly, in Bhadohi, SP worker Anjani Saroj was accused of distributing toffees and pencils to lure children to attend an unauthorised class. Police said cases were registered under charges including criminal trespass, unlawful assembly, and damage to public property.

Officials from the primary education department have directed district BSAs to monitor schools regularly and initiate strict legal action against unauthorised teaching activities, calling them an attempt to disrupt social harmony.

UP minister defends the mergers

Uttar Pradesh basic education minister Sandeep Singh asserted that the government’s school merger programme was aimed at enhancing educational quality, not depriving children of learning opportunities.

“The opposition is misleading people. No child has been denied education. On the contrary, merging small schools with low enrolment ensures better teaching, proper classrooms, and effective monitoring. Education cannot be turned into a political battleground,” he said.

Clarifying its stance, the state government on Thursday announced that primary schools with 50 or more students will not be merged, and those located more than a kilometre from the nearest school will remain independent. The minister further assured that there would be no reduction in the number of teachers’ posts.

Experts weigh in

Political analyst Shashikant Pandey, head of the department of political science at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, said the PDA Pathshala issue reflects a larger battle over electoral narratives.

“The SP is consciously framing the merger issue through the lens of social justice, trying to tell OBCs and Dalits that their children’s future is at stake. This is not merely about schools—it is about consolidating the PDA bloc for 2027. The FIRs, if anything, may allow the SP to play the victim card, which could resonate with marginalised voters,” he explained.

Another political expert added that the initiative fits the SP’s broader PDA strategy. “By highlighting school closures and linking them to the marginalisation of backward and Dalit communities, the SP is ensuring that the debate reaches the grassroots. Education is an emotional issue, and the party hopes this narrative will stick until 2027,” he said.

view comments

News politics PDA Pathshala Row: SP, BJP At Loggerheads In Uttar Pradesh Over ‘New School Of Thought’
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Read More



Source link

Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article Chinese Astronomers Use Insight-HXMT to Decode X-ray Outburst of Binary Star System Chinese Astronomers Decode X-ray Outburst of Binary Star System – Delhi News Daily
Next Article 2nd ODI: Indian innings – Fall of wickets – Delhi News Daily
Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts

  • Bird slams into plane nose: Cabin filled with smoke mid-air; panic on Paris-bound flight — watch – Times of India – Delhi News Daily
  • ‘Remains hopeful’: Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ lawyer seeks Trump’s pardon; Combs to remain jailed till sentencing – Times of India – Delhi News Daily
  • Baby bonus: China offers 10,800 yuan subsidy to boost birth rate; why ‘lie flat’ generation isn’t convinced – Times of India – Delhi News Daily
  • ‘I am going to exert my powers’: Prosecute minors as adults? Trump warns of federal control in DC after ex-Doge staffer assaulted – Times of India – Delhi News Daily
  • Takyon Networks IPO listing today. Check GMP ahead of debut – Delhi News Daily

Recent Comments

No comments to show.

You Might Also Like

News18
Politics

Congress Gave PoK To Pakistan, BJP Will Bring It Back: Amit Shah During Op Sindoor Debate – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:July 30, 2025, 19:39 ISTAmit Shah stressed that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) was part of India and vowed that the…

1 Min Read
News18
Politics

Congress Chief Kharge Calls Election Commission ‘Puppet’ of Modi Government Over ‘SIR’ Showdown – Delhi News Daily

| Congress Chief Kharge Calls Election Commission 'Puppet' of Modi Government Over 'SIR' Showdown n18oc_politicsNews18 Mobile App - https://onelink.to/desc-youtube Source…

0 Min Read
News18
Politics

‘Unacceptable’: Naveen Patnaik Condemns BJP MLA’s Sexist Remark Against BJD Leader – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:July 04, 2025, 21:56 ISTBJD Chief Naveen Patnaik condemned BJP MLA Santosh Khatua's sexist remarks against BJD's Lekhasri Samantsinghar.…

6 Min Read
News18
Politics

National Conference May Approach Supreme Court Over J&K Statehood Delay, Says Farooq Abdullah – Delhi News Daily

Last Updated:June 21, 2025, 22:46 ISTThe former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir acknowledged that his party is 'waiting patiently'…

4 Min Read

Delhi News Daily

© Delhi News Daily Network.

Incognito Web Technologies

Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?