Nearly 40,000 pre-primary schools across Gujarat remained closed on Tuesday in protest against recent guidelines introduced by the state government. Owners and administrators of these schools presented their concerns to Education Minister Kuber Dindor and Minister of State for Education Praful Pansheriya, warning that further demonstrations in Gandhinagar will follow if their demands are not addressed.
“We planned to protest in Gandhinagar today, but as we did not receive permission, we organised city- and zone-wise protests instead, keeping our schools closed and holding rallies. With the registration deadline set for February 2025, we have sought more clarity and time for the required paperwork,” said Rajesh Parikh, Ahmedabad zone coordinator for the Gujarat Independent Pre-school Association (Proposed).
The pre-primary school owners have highlighted three major concerns, with the primary issue revolving around Building-Use (BU) permissions. “The education department allows submission of any BU – commercial, residential, or educational – but municipal corporations insist on an educational BU. This lack of clarity is causing confusion,” said Parikh.
Another significant demand is the relaxation of the requirement for a 15-year lease agreement with stamp duty for properties. “Most pre-primary schools in Gujarat operate from rented premises, and obtaining a 15-year lease agreement is unrealistic. Additionally, forming a trust would mean mandatory annual account audits, increasing operational costs,” he added.
Sagar Nayak, spokesperson for the association, stated that these concerns have been repeatedly presented to the state government since April, but the schools have yet to receive meaningful concessions.
The Policy for Regulation of Non-Grant-in-Aid Private Pre-primary Education Institutes for the State of Gujarat was notified on 15 May 2023. The policy was introduced following recommendations from a state-level task force chaired by the Education Minister, with input from key stakeholders. It aims to align pre-primary education in Gujarat with the restructuring goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The policy mandates all pre-primary schools to register by February 2025, extending the original 12-month deadline. It applies to any institution, trust, organisation, or private entity providing early childhood education to children aged 3-6 years.
Required documents to be uploaded for online application for registration include a copy of certificate of registration of the society, company, or trust, and a copy of resolution passed for opening the institute by the same society, company or trust.
The institutes are required to submit a copy of BU permission given by the revenue authority concerned or building regularisation order along with a fire safety certificate.
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