Shimla, 22 February 2025 — The Himachal Pradesh Education Department plans to shut down 21 colleges and 100 senior secondary schools due to low enrolment, Education Minister Rohit Thakur said. The proposal will be presented to the Cabinet for final approval.
The move follows the merger or closure of 1,094 schools with zero or minimal enrolment up to high school level. “Colleges with fewer than 100 students will be closed, impacting around 700 students,” Thakur stated. For senior secondary schools, institutions with fewer than 25 students from Class VI to XII will be shut, with a requirement that Class XI and XII have double-digit enrolment. Some exceptions will be made for schools in tribal areas.
Thakur defended the decision, citing the need to optimize resources. “If we have to provide quality education, we must consolidate. The strong performance of our students in the recent ASER reports supports our approach,” he said.
The government has also restricted mid-session teacher transfers, allowing a 15-day transfer window from April 1 to 15, limited to need-based cases.
