Shimla, June 7 — The Directorate of School Education has identified 621 schools across Himachal Pradesh for closure, merger or downgrading due to either zero or negligible student enrolment, a move the state government says is essential for improving educational quality.
Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Friday approved the immediate de-notification of 103 schools with zero enrolment, following a review meeting held in Shimla. “These schools have no students at all. Keeping them open makes no sense,” said Thakur.
The department will now forward a proposal to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu seeking approval to merge or downgrade the remaining 518 institutions. If approved, this will take the total number of schools de-notified or merged in recent years to over 1,800, up from the 1,200 already shut or consolidated.
While the Opposition has raised concerns over the mass closures, Thakur defended the move as necessary for systemic reform. “We will be compromising the future of our children if we don’t give them quality education,” he said. “And that’s only possible through consolidation and rationalisation of our resources.”
Despite widespread closures, Thakur pointed to improved academic outcomes in the state. “The latest ASER report shows a positive trend, and this year’s Class X and Class XII results have significantly improved over the previous year,” he said.
The restructuring is expected to release over 1,100 teaching staff from the affected schools. “We plan to deploy these teachers to remote and underserved regions where the shortage is acute,” Thakur stated. Districts such as Shimla, Chamba, Sirmaur and Kullu have been grappling with teacher scarcity, particularly in rural zones.
Earlier attempts at rationalising teacher deployment failed due to political constraints, Thakur admitted. However, a new plan is underway. “We’re now preparing a fresh rationalisation strategy that is teacher-friendly. Deputy Directors across districts are actively working on it,” he added.
The minister also announced a policy shift in accountability measures. School principals and headmasters will now face penalties if their institutions record pass percentages below 25. “So far, only teachers and lecturers were being held responsible for poor results. That is going to change,” said Thakur.
The sweeping reform, while controversial, marks a major shift in the state’s approach to public education management — one the government argues is essential for addressing inefficiencies and ensuring equitable access to quality instruction.
