Parliament Question: Closure of Primary and Higher Secondary Schools in Assam

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 108 ANSWERED ON – 27.07.2026 Closure of Primary and Higher Secondary Schools in Assam *108. Md. Rakibul Hussain:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is aware that several Primary and Higher Secondary Schools have been closed or merged in the State of Assam in recent years;

(b) if so, the number of such schools closed or merged during the last three years and the reasons therefor;

(c) whether any assessment has been made regarding the impact of these closures on students’ access to education and dropout rates, if so, the details thereof;

(d) the details of steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to address public concerns and ensure uninterrupted secondary education in Assam; and

(e) whether the Government has any plan for utilization or protection of school buildings lying vacant after merger of schools, considering their emotional and social value to local communities and if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI PRALHAD JOSHI)

(a) to (e): A statement is laid on the table of the House. *****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (e) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 108 ANSWERED ON 27.07.2026 ASKED BY MD.

RAKIBUL HUSSAIN, HON’BLE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT REGARDING “CLOSURE OF PRIMARY AND HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ASSAM”.

(a) to (c): Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of schools are under the administrative control of the respective State Government & UT Administrations.

Department of School Education, Assam has informed that no Schools under the State Government have been closed till date. Schools in the same campus had been merged for administrative prudence and the academic convenience of the students and teachers.

Further, the Department of School Education, Assam has informed that under statutory provision of the Assam Education (Provincialization) Act, 2017, in the year 2021, 3805 numbers of Ventures Schools were provincialized and shifted to the “Base Schools (existing Govt. run schools)” Further, the Department of School Education, Assam has informed that in pursuance of the NEP mandate of Composite Schools, Elementary schools are being amalgamated to Secondary Schools. As a result, 133 Primary Schools have been amalgamated with High/Higher Secondary Schools. Further, during the last three years (2024-25 to 2026-27), 418 Elementary Schools have been amalgamated/merged with other Elementary schools as base schools.

The reasons for amalgamation are: (i) to address low enrolment; (ii) effective administration and academic improvement; (iii) optimum utilisation of the services of teaching staff; (iv) to mitigate the shortage of teachers; and (v) to reduce the dropout rate.

(d): Under Samagra Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to States and Union Territories, based on their Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B), for strengthening school education infrastructure and improving access, retention and quality. The States/UTs follow different approaches specific to different regions or communities based on various factors responsible for dropouts. The need for schools and also the infrastructural facilities in schools, to ensure retention, are worked out every year by the respective State/Union Territory on incremental basis depending on their need and priority and reflected in their Annual Work plan & Budget (AWP&B). The interventions, under Samagra Shiksha inter alia, include:

(i) establishment and upgradation of schools, including composite schools wherever proposed by the States/UTs;

(ii) strengthening of school infrastructure including additional classrooms, science laboratories, libraries, ICT and smart classrooms;

(iii) provision of transport and escort facilities in eligible areas;

(iv) support for Balvatikas, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy under NIPUN Bharat;

(v) teacher recruitment support as per norms, teacher training and capacity building;

(vi) remedial teaching, inclusive education for Children with Special Needs (CwSN), guidance and counselling;

(vii) vocational education, career guidance and adolescent education; and(viii) initiatives to improve transition, retention and learning outcomes through academic support and monitoring.

The details of the central funds released under Samagra Shiksha to Assam in the last five years

are as given below:

Central Release Year (Rs. In Lakh) 2021-22 156156.4 2022-23 208086.22 2023-24 181046.93 2024-25 202677.34 2025-26 293009.36 Further, the Department of School Education, Assam has informed that 218 Tea Garden Model Schools with Secondary sections have been recently established in the remote Tea Garden areas of the State. Further in the Assembly Constituencies of the State, the Government through its own Budget and Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) funding had allocated Rs. 7 crores to Rs. 8 Crores to around 368 numbers of Schools for major infrastructural improvement of Secondary Schools. Another 144 numbers of Schools had been allocated with a sum of Rs. 3 Crores to Rs. 4 Crores for major infrastructural development.

(e): Department of School Education, Assam has informed that they have issued guidelines for utilisation of vacant, unattended and unused land and infrastructure arising out of amalgamation/merger of schools. As per the guidelines, the District Commissioner of the concerned district may issue permission for utilisation of such unused school campuses/properties through a MoU with the concerned Government Department/Semi- Government Organisation/NGO, based on the recommendation of the District Level Committee and subject to the prescribed procedure.

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