Rajasthan: Congress govt's English-medium initiative in doldrums
BJP government under Bhajan Lal Sharma seems determined to shut down about 3,700 English-medium schools citing lack of teachers

Under the leadership of chief minister Ashok Gehlot, the Congress government in Rajasthan had initiated a programme to provide English-medium education in government schools, primarily to students who could not afford private school fees or lacked access to such facilities in their towns and villages.
However, the BJP government led by chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma appears determined to shut down approximately 3,700 schools named after Mahatma Gandhi, citing a lack of teachers for the English-medium institutions. The present government has done little to address this issue, leaving 14,737 teaching positions vacant in schools under the state education department.
The government has formed a ministerial committee headed by deputy chief minister Prakash Chand Berwa to review the Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools. Other committee members include health minister Gajendra Singh Khinwsar, an alumnus of Doon School, St Stephen’s College, and an MBA from the US; education minister Madan Dilawar; and food minister Sumit Godara.
This committee is tasked with evaluating the English-medium schools, which recently admitted 84,333 students out of 1.22 lakh applications. Each class accommodates 33 students, but in many schools, the number of applicants is ten times higher. Despite the overwhelming demand, the BJP government has failed to appoint adequate teachers for these schools. The committee will assess the relevance of these English-medium schools and recommend measures to the government.
During its tenure, the Congress government recognised that the lack of English-medium schools hindered students' performance in competitive examinations. Many parents urged the government to establish English-medium schools to address this gap. Consequently, it selected 3,700 schools across the state, including villages and small towns, to meet the growing demand for English-medium education. These schools, known as Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools (MGEM), were well-received by residents of the state.
In May 2024, the BJP government, instead of equipping these schools with qualified English-speaking teachers, issued an order allowing them to revert to Hindi-medium instruction. The education department, headquartered in Bikaner, identified 1,000 of the 3,700 schools as failing to meet the criteria for English-medium education owing to a lack of teachers.
"The Congress government started these schools with good intentions and recruited teachers on contract, offering them Rs 16,900 per month with a 5 per cent annual increment. As a result, enrolments in private schools began to decline," former chief minister Gehlot said. "Under pressure from private schools charging hefty fees, the BJP government is now attempting to close these government-run schools instead of appointing more qualified teachers. Even contractual teachers were not hired, leading to teacher shortages and the closure of some schools."
Gehlot accused the BJP government of undermining educational structures established during the Congress tenure in a "vindictive manner", harming the state's education system. Pradesh Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara, who served as education minister when the English-medium schools were launched, emphasised that the initiative aimed to provide opportunities to marginalised communities. "The BJP is attempting to saffronise education and undo the good work initiated during the Congress regime," he said.
Incumbent education minister Madan Dilawar counters this, stating, "The Congress started English-medium schools without adequate planning or teachers. Converting 3,700 Hindi-medium schools into English-medium ones without the necessary teaching staff was irresponsible. We had to close 77 schools due to a lack of teachers and students. The Congress played with the lives of young children, forcing us to decide whether to continue or revert to Hindi-medium schools."
Gehlot refuted these claims, highlighting the overwhelming demand for English-medium schools. "Every parent wants their child to study in English-medium schools to compete nationally and globally. We addressed this demand by converting schools and recruiting qualified teachers," he said.
The Congress government had established Mahatma Gandhi Rajkiya Vidyalayas (English-medium) for classes 1 to 12 as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi in 2019.
Former education minister B.D. Kalla noted that by 2021-22, 533 Hindi-medium schools had been converted to English-medium, eventually growing to 2,029 schools. "We faced challenges in finding English-speaking teachers but worked to resolve this by hiring 10,000 teachers in two categories. Level one teachers had to have completed their 12th grade in English-medium schools and hold an elementary teaching diploma. Level two teachers needed a graduate degree in English-medium education with a B.Ed. Despite these efforts, the BJP government failed to strengthen the teaching force," he said.
Leader of Opposition Tika Ram Jully also criticised the BJP government for failing to maintain educational standards and accused it of neglecting teacher recruitment, jeopardising the future of these schools.
"The BJP government is intent on scrapping English-medium schools without making efforts to appoint teachers or improve quality. Over 1.25 lakh applicants seeking admission show how much parents value these schools, yet the government is playing with their children's futures," said Bittu Jain of the Abhibhavak Sangh, a parents' body.
In Jaipur, Mahatma Gandhi English-medium schools face intense competition, with 16 to 34 candidates vying for a single seat. For instance, in Sanganer, a school in the Mansarovar area with a capacity of 54 students per class received 1,880 applications, underscoring the desperation of parents to secure admission for their children.
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