Merging Schools in Uttar Pradesh: At What Cost to Education?

Introduction The Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has recently decided to merge or “pair” thousands of primary schools that have fewer than 50 students with nearby larger schools. This sweeping policy, upheld by the Allahabad High Court in 2025, affects over 10,000 of UP’s 1.3 lakh government-run primary schools. Officials argue that consolidating small, under-enrolled schools […]