Maharashtra polls: Failed state education policies could affect results
Frustration over education policies in Maharashtra, like poor uniforms and meal quality, may influence upcoming elections as parents and teachers seek change
Mumbai: Tattered school uniforms, hunger pangs disrupting lessons and, at times, no school to attend at all. These and other issues in schools across the state could shape the outcome of the upcoming assembly elections as parents and teachers believe the ballot is the only way to be heard.
Frustration has been building among parents, teachers and students in the last two to three years due to a range of policy changes that has disrupted the learning process for students and impacted their overall well-being. These changes have impacted students in the over 1 lakh government and government-aided schools in the state, 80% of them Marathi-medium institutions. The changes that have drawn the greatest opposition are the ‘One State One Uniform’ policy, Aadhaar requirements for enrolment, changes in the midday meal scheme, and modifications to the curriculum.
Ramakant Lungare, a parent from Nashik district, said, “It is very difficult to keep assuring my children that they will get good uniforms, good teachers, and good food. Due to changes in government policies, they are deprived of them all.”
The ‘One State One Uniform’ policy, introduced in the 2024-25 academic year, aimed to standardise uniforms across all government schools in Maharashtra. The uniforms, meant to be distributed by June 15, were delayed due to supply chain issues, leaving students to start the school year wearing old uniforms or civil clothes. As of mid-term, only 40% of the uniforms had been distributed.
“After the Ganesh festival, my 11-year-old son asked me why he couldn’t attend a private school instead. At present, he has to wear a torn uniform and doesn’t receive quality education,” Lungare added.
Where new uniforms have been distributed, they are of inferior quality. Parents and educators said that earlier, local School Management Committees procured uniforms, which allowed for quality control and tailored fitting. Under the present centralised system, students are forced to accept ill-fitting and low-quality garments, pointed out Mahendra Ganpule, a former principal in a government school in Junnar.
The issues upsetting parents and students extend to other areas of the education system. Among them is a baffling decision to add blank pages to textbooks. “We still don’t know why this was done. What did it accomplish,” asked Ganpule.
The government’s midday-meal scheme has, over the years, been riddled with challenges and controversies. In remote regions, contractors are reluctant to provide meals due to low compensation rates, resulting in students receiving substandard food. The push for more nutritious meal options has met with funding problems, making it difficult for schools to improve the quality of meals served.
Worse, not all schools covered by the scheme can keep their commitment. “In remote, hilly areas, where the number of students is less than 20 in the school, contractors are not prepared to provide the midday meals because of very low remuneration,” Ganpule explained.
Another contentious policy is the mandate requiring Aadhaar cards for student enrolment, despite a Supreme Court stay. The requirement was later relaxed for a year following protests from teachers’ unions, but its introduction, nevertheless, created unnecessary hurdles for thousands of families. Many rural families struggle with accessing government facilities to get Aadhaar cards, adding to the burden of an already complex enrolment process.
Teachers in government schools, on the other hand, are frustrated at being forced to execute non-educational tasks. Administrative duties, data entry and compliance with ever-changing policies have diverted attention from teaching. In some schools, especially in rural areas where staff is limited, teachers are also responsible for school maintenance, meal supervision, and other non-teaching duties. “I have at least 18 work-related mobile applications to use, and I need to submit data via most of them daily or weekly,” said a teacher from Thane district. “If I fail to submit the data, the group education officer forces us to do it.”
Ajay Bhoyar, a Nagpur-based teacher and education activist advocating for the preservation of Marathi schools, said the government’s approach to education is discouraging parents from considering government or Marathi-medium schools for their children. The policy of hiring contractual teachers has also adversely affected thousands of young aspirants who wish to pursue a teaching career,” he said.
Bhoyar, founder of an association called Ladha Marathi Shalancha (‘Save Marathi Schools’), uses social media to reach out to parents, to spread awareness on various issues. He said the appointment of contractual teachers and closure of schools with less than 20 students have prompted young voters and parents to consider these concerns before casting their votes.
He highlighted the impact of closure of schools on the future of students, especially in rural areas. “We made significant efforts to persuade the government to reconsider some of its decisions, but our attempts were unsuccessful. Now, it is up to voters to reflect on these issues when they cast the ballot,” he said.
These contentious policy changes have found an echo among experts. Educator Kishore Darak described the ‘One State One Uniform’ policy as “another decision reaffirming the neoliberal, rightist character of the state through centralisation of decision-making, even in choosing the colour of clothes for poor children.” He said the government should never implement policies in haste and without considering local conditions and the practicalities of execution. The broader issue is symptomatic of a lack of preparation and disregard for ground realities, he said.
Some experts pointed out that changing any educational policy requires thorough consideration and planning. “However,” said Vasant Kalpande, former state director of education, “the Maharashtra government never initiates a dialogue with stakeholders before taking major decisions.”
J M Abhyankar, recently elected to the state Legislative Council from the Mumbai teachers’ constituency, criticised the increased workload on teachers and the pressure on students. He said, “This growing dissatisfaction has led to calls for a reevaluation of the government’s approach to education. As it stands, the state’s education system risks continuing to struggle, leaving students, parents and teachers in a constant state of frustration.”
Going one step further is Pune-based education activist and director of a non-profit, Geeta Mahashabde. “Voters need to reflect on the education policies introduced over the last three years as they are systematically pushing for the closure of government schools by degrading their quality. This will impact more than 1.5 crore students currently enrolled in state-run and government-aided schools across Maharashtra,” she said.
She argued that if one examines the pattern of policy implementation in recent years, it seems to be tending towards the exclusion of underprivileged communities from quality education. “If the current government remains in power, there will likely be continued blind obedience to central policies, consequentially driving poor students out of the education system at various stages in the near future. Voters must carefully consider these issues before casting their ballots,” she added.