Ceiling of a primary school in Bareilly
such directives drew wider attention after CJP launched its ‘School Thik Karo’ campaign on Aug 15, under which Abhijeet Dipke urged volunteers to visit govt schools, record their condition and upload the footage Although the Farrukhabad order predated the controversy by nearly four months. In Bulandshahr, primary school headmistress Neeru Sharma complained against Mohd Shahrukh and several unidentified people, alleging that they filmed children working on Aug 14, misbehaved when confronted and obstructed govt duty.
The cases followed videos highlighting conditions at schools in Hathras, Bulandshahr, Deoria, Meerut, Noida, Ghazipur, Siddharth Nagar and Varanasi, while the administrative orders cited “student safety, disruption of teaching and unauthorised access to school records” among reasons for the restrictions. Shamli BSA Santosh Kumar said, “Some outsiders and YouTubers enter govt schools without authorisation, take photographs and videos of schools and staff and share them on social media, affecting the teaching-learning process and tarnishing the dignity of teachers as well as the department’s image. Bijnor district secretary of Primary Teachers’ Association Prashant Kumar told TOI that teachers there had also been directed not to allow any YouTuber or outsider onto school premises without prior departmental permission. Several govt school teachers declined to speak on record, but some said concerns extended beyond dilapidated buildings and missing basic facilities to curriculum and study material. Even by the end of Aug, complete study material has not arrived — for instance, the first of three Class XI history books is still awaited — but teachers cannot openly complain, and using outside books can invite raids by education officials,” a UP teacher who requested anonymity told TOI .
She also directed in-charge principals to keep school gates closed during and after school hours, while the orders pointed out that govt had already designated officials to inspect schools and initiate action over shortcomings. FIRs subsequently surfaced across various districts. And in Sardhana, police arrested advocate Sanyam Panchal and his friend Aayan Mirza for breach of peace and separately registered a case invoking provisions relating to defamation and false information. “The problem goes far beyond poor buildings and lack of facilities; it extends to the curriculum as well.