Orissa HC rules in favour of state govt’s schools’ merger decision

The Orissa High Court has ruled its judgment in favour of the state government’s decision for the merger of schools having less than 20 students. The division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice MS Raman gave the judgment after hearing both sides.

The School and Mass Education department issued a notification for the merger of nearly 16000 schools on March 11, 2020. As per the notification, all the schools with less than 20 students were to be merged with bigger schools in nearby areas.

The move was undertaken with an effort to improve the student-teacher ratio, with additional better infrastructure facilities, better academic environment, and better facilities.

However, at least 168 petitions had challenged government’s move on the ground that it violated the Odisha Right to Children to Free and Compulsory Education Rules, 2010. Following the petitions, a single-judge bench of Justice BR Sarangi had quashed the notification on May 4, 2021, following which the state government filed an appeal against it.

A division bench of Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice MS Raman had then issued an interim stay order on the single judge’s order. Finally, the division bench has ruled in favour of the merger of the schools for improved learning and teaching, with reduced burden on teachers.