Lucknow: When the Yogi government took office in 2017, it placed significant emphasis on the education sector. Over the past seven years, the government has implemented various initiatives to enhance and revamp the education system. These efforts include replacing old and deteriorating school buildings with modern infrastructure, such as smart classrooms, introducing Atal Residential Schools, Kasturba Gandhi girls schools, and incorporating skill education programs. In addition to modernizing secondary schools, there has been a focus on improving technical education through the upgrading of Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
As Uttar Pradesh gears up for elections next month, the Yogi government is optimistic that its achievements in the education sector will reflect positively in the political arena.
Notably, state-run primary schools in UP witnessed a surge in enrollment, reaching 1.9 crore students in the academic year 2024-25. This increase of nearly 40 lakh students over seven years is attributed to the successful ‘School Chalo’ campaign.
To ensure a conducive and secure environment for girls’ education, 346 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are operational in the state, providing residential education to 76,880 girls. Furthermore, 648 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have been upgraded to offer classes from grades 9 to 12.
In a significant recruitment initiative, over 1.25 lakh teachers were appointed in primary schools across the state, while approximately 4,000 teachers were hired for secondary schools in the past seven years. This recruitment drive has significantly improved the pupil-teacher ratio, which had been imbalanced in Uttar Pradesh for years.
The launch of Operation Kayakalp aimed at enhancing infrastructure and basic amenities in government schools has shown positive outcomes. Around 80% of the 1.33 lakh schools have been renovated with essential facilities like clean drinking water, sanitation facilities, furniture, and smart classrooms. A similar project has been initiated to renovate and upgrade secondary schools in the state.
Uttar Pradesh has embraced technology-driven solutions in mainstream education to create engaging and interactive learning environments for students, promoting active teacher involvement. Primary school teachers now mark their daily attendance online, while the secondary education department has introduced five portals—Pahuch, Pragyan, Pankh, Parakh, and Pehchan—to cater to the needs and aspirations of students and job seekers. The digital transformation of UP Board exams, including online student registration, exam center allocation, and result availability, has streamlined the examination process. The implementation of CCTV cameras and voice recorders for live monitoring has successfully ensured fair and cheating-free exams for the past two years.
In higher education, a digital nodal center has been established to facilitate online education, with 120 e-learning parks equipped with internet facilities set up in over 100 rural colleges to bring education to remote areas. The government has provided pre-loaded tablets in 120 government colleges, serving as digital learning resources for students. Additionally, UP now boasts a digital library portal offering online higher education content. Through Project Alankar, smart classes have been introduced in over 1,000 government secondary schools, and the installation of solar panels has commenced in these schools.
To create employment opportunities for the youth, the government has initiated ‘Project Praveen,’ where the secondary and skill development departments will provide vocational training in government schools. Efforts are underway to enhance the skills of two crore youth in the state to prepare them for the industrial workforce. Over 300 ITIs are being upgraded into state-of-the-art facilities through public-private partnerships. Vocational skills have been integrated into the undergraduate curriculum to promote innovation and entrepreneurship, with incubation centers established in 15 government colleges. Startups in cutting-edge sectors like AI, drones, med tech, blockchain, and 5G are being encouraged. Furthermore, the government is actively implementing the National Education Policy on a mission mode to further enhance the education landscape.