From smart classrooms to skilled youth: How UP rebuilt school education; higher education gets NEP push

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh’s education sector has witnessed a far-reaching transformation over the past eight years, marked by expanded digital access, improved infrastructure, higher enrolment, rapid growth in skill education and structural reforms in higher education.

Government data indicate that sustained policy focus since 2017 has led to measurable improvements across school, secondary, technical and university education, aligning learning with employability and long-term development goals.

Digital Expansion and Infrastructure Push in School Education

One of the most visible changes has been the expansion of digital education and school infrastructure. Thousands of council schools have been upgraded with smart classrooms, ICT labs and learning resources, reducing the rural–urban digital divide.

Key developments include:

• Smart classrooms established in over 25,000 council schools
• ICT labs operational in more than 5,800 schools
• Over 2.6 lakh tablets provided for teachers’ use
• Nearly 27 per cent increasein schools with computer access in 2023–24 compared to 2015–16

Under Operation Kayakalp, primary and upper primary schools have achieved saturation of basic infrastructure facilities, improving classroom environments and student retention.

Improved Teacher Availability and Learning Conditions

Teacher availability has improved across school levels, contributing to better learning outcomes. Student–teacher ratios have declined in junior basic, senior basic and higher secondary schools, easing classroom pressure and improving teacher engagement.

To strengthen staffing further, the government has reformed recruitment processes by abolishing interviews and shifting to written examinations. Since 2017, thousands of teachers have been appointed in government and aided secondary schools, alongside the creation of new teaching posts.

Enrolment Drive and Declining Dropout Rates

Enrolment-focused initiatives such as School Chalo Abhiyan and the Sharda Programme have played a key role in expanding access to education. Nearly four million additional children have been enrolled through these campaigns, accompanied by a significant decline in dropout rates.

Under the Sharda Programme alone, 7.77 lakh children were admitted to council schools in 2024–25.

Participation under the Right to Education (RTE) Act has expanded sharply:

• 2016–17: 22,040 children enrolled
• 2024–25: Over 4.3 lakh children enrolled

The state has reimbursed more than Rs638 crore in fees to unaided recognised schools between 2022–23 and 2024–25 under RTE provisions.

Focus on Girls’ Education and Residential Schooling

Girls’ education has received targeted attention. All 746 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas have been upgraded to provide free residential education up to Class 12 for girls from weaker sections.

In addition, new institutions such as Atal Residential Schools (now operational in 18 divisions) and Chief Minister Model Composite Schools are expanding access to quality schooling. With a budgetary provision of around Rs 4,500 crore, 150 model composite schools are being established across districts, offering education from pre-primary to Class 12.

Rapid Expansion of Skill and Technical Education

Skill development has emerged as a central pillar of education reform. The state has recorded rapid growth in technical institutions:

• 3,310 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) have been established since 1947
  • Of these, 668 ITIs were added between 2017 and 2025
• Polytechnic institutions increased from 526 in 2016–17 to over 2,100 in 2024–25

Training and employment outcomes under the Uttar Pradesh Skill Development Mission have improved substantially. Between 2017–18 and 2023–24:

• Over 14 lakh youth were trained
• More than 5.3 lakh youth secured employment

Annual averages during this period nearly doubled compared to pre-2017 years.

Secondary Education Infrastructure and Sports Promotion

The state currently has over 29,000 secondary schools. New government intercolleges and high schools have been established, while hundreds of existing institutions are being upgraded under the Project Alankar scheme with libraries, laboratories, classrooms, drinking water facilities and sports infrastructure.

Indoor mini stadiums are being constructed in government intercolleges to promote sports awareness, while ICT labs and Atal Tinkering Labs are expanding hands-on learning.

Higher Education Reforms under NEP 2020

Higher education reforms gained momentum after the implementation of NEP 2020, which Uttar Pradesh began adopting from 2021–22. Multidisciplinary education, credit-based systems, flexible entry-exit options and uniform academic calendars have been introduced across institutions.

Digital empowerment has been a key focus:

• Over 41 lakh students registered under the Academic Bank of Credit
• Smart classrooms, e-libraries and ERP-based governance systems are implemented across universities and colleges

Quality benchmarks have improved, with more institutions securing NAAC accreditation and representation in national rankings. Paid internships, apprenticeships and mandatory skill courses have strengthened the employability focus.

A Shift Towards Future-Ready Education

From a system once constrained by limited access and weak infrastructure, Uttar Pradesh’s education sector has transitioned towards a digital, skill-oriented and employment-linked framework. Officials say the reforms reflect a long-term effort to align education with innovation, self-reliance and inclusive growth, positioning the state for future demographic and economic challenges.

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