Gandhinagar, June 23 (SocialNews.XYZ) Gujarat's flagship school enrolment campaigns, Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra, have completed 23 years, with Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel stating that the initiatives have evolved from government programmes into a broad-based social movement that has reshaped access to education across the state.
In an article released on the occasion, Patel reflected on the origins of the campaigns and their role in improving educational participation, particularly among girls, while outlining reforms introduced in Gujarat's education sector over the past two decades.
Patel wrote that when the campaigns were launched in 2003 under the leadership of Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister of Gujarat, the state faced significant educational challenges.
He noted that the school dropout rate during 2001-02 stood at more than 37 per cent, meaning that nearly one in three children was leaving the educational mainstream.
Girls faced additional barriers because of social prejudices, economic hardship and other entrenched obstacles.
According to Patel, the initiative was founded on the principle that education should not remain solely the responsibility of the government but should become a collective commitment of society.
He said the campaign brought together ministers, legislators and officers from the IAS, IPS and IFS services, who travelled to villages, met families, encouraged parents, and personally accompanied children to schools.
"For 23 years, this unique tradition has continued uninterrupted, reflecting a sustained commitment to ensuring that every child receives the opportunity to learn," Patel wrote.
The Chief Minister said the impact of the campaigns extended beyond enrolment figures and educational indicators.
"Their most enduring achievement lies in the millions of lives that have been transformed through access to education," he wrote, adding that children who joined schools during the early years of the campaign had gone on to become doctors, engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs and professionals in diverse fields.
Patel highlighted the role of the 'Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra' in promoting girls' education, saying it was integrated with 'Shala Praveshotsav' to ensure that every girl child entered the education system.
He said the initiative had contributed to a broader shift in social attitudes towards educating girls. "Today, families do not view a daughter's education as an exception or aspiration alone; they actively seek to ensure that she moves from school to higher education and beyond," he wrote.
The Chief Minister also highlighted recent state government schemes to support students.
Under the Namo Lakshmi Yojana, girls studying in Classes 9 to 12 receive financial assistance of up to Rs 50,000. The Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana Yojana provides up to Rs 25,000 over two years to students in Classes 11 and 12 pursuing science education.
"These efforts reaffirm a commitment that financial constraints should never stand in the way of a child's education, talent, or aspirations for the future," Patel wrote.
Discussing educational quality, Patel referred to the launch of 'Gunotsav' in 2009 under PM Modi's tenure as Chief Minister.
"The programme has since evolved into Gunotsav 2.0 (GSQAC), incorporating the School Quality Assessment and Assurance Framework (SQAAF), which is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and sets out 211 standards for evaluating school quality," he noted.
The article also highlighted Gujarat's adoption of the NEP's 5+3+3+4 academic structure and the universal implementation of Balvatika at the foundational stage.
"Digital birth registration and child-tracking systems help ensure that every child is identified, enrolled and supported throughout their education," he said.
He further referred to the Vidya Samiksha Kendra, describing it as "India's first AI-driven educational monitoring system".
According to Patel, the platform enables real-time monitoring of educational progress and includes an AI-based early warning system that identifies potential dropouts and facilitates timely intervention.
The Chief Minister also highlighted community participation in the campaigns. He said contributions from citizens, institutions and organisations over the past 23 years had reached approximately Rs 326 crore.
He added that "School Management Committees now have 75 per cent parental participation and 50 per cent representation of women, helping make schools more community-driven institutions".
Patel also referred to scholarship programmes such as the Mukhyamantri Gyan Sadhana Scholarship and Gyan Setu Merit Scholarship, which he said support meritorious students facing financial constraints.
Quoting Prime Minister Modi's vision for education, Patel wrote, "If we aim to build a Viksit Bharat, then it must begin by empowering the dreams of our children."
Describing the long-term impact of the enrolment drives, Patel wrote that "the 23-year journey of Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Rath Yatra stands as a living reflection of this belief".
He added that the initiatives had "opened the doors of opportunity for lakhs of children, strengthened the confidence of lakhs of girls, and given a renewed direction to society's thinking on education".
As Gujarat continues its development journey, Patel said the campaigns would be remembered as a defining chapter in the state's social transformation and educational progress, adding that "future generations would view them not merely as policy interventions but as efforts that helped reshape the educational foundation of Gujarat".
Source: IANS
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