Sarita Sahni
New Delhi, January 2, 2026
BJP Government Accused of Misleading Delhi on School Shift Decision
Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee President Devender Yadav has strongly criticised the BJP government in Delhi for its decision to convert government schools running in two shifts into single-shift schools. He said that this announcement is not a serious education reform but an attempt to mislead the people of Delhi with tall claims that cannot be fulfilled during the government’s five-year tenure.
Ground Reality Exposes the False Promise of Single-Shift Schools
Devender Yadav pointed out that according to the Directorate of Education, Delhi has a total of 799 government schools, out of which 284 schools are currently running in two shifts. He said that even by the government’s own estimates, it would take more than 25 years to convert all these schools into single-shift institutions. In such a situation, he questioned why the Rekha Gupta government is congratulating itself for an exercise that will not even be partially completed in its tenure.
BJP’s Education Claims Contradicted by Fee Hike in Private Schools
Devender Yadav said that the BJP government has already exposed its double standards by agreeing to allow an increase in fees in private schools. He stated that on one hand the government talks about improving government schools, while on the other hand it pushes parents towards expensive private schools by weakening public education. This, he said, clearly shows the government’s lack of commitment to affordable and quality education.
Falling Standards Driving Students Away from Government Schools
Devender Yadav said that the number of students in Delhi government schools is continuously declining because of the falling quality of education. He added that the Directorate of Education has identified only 70 vacant plots for shifting 284 two-shift schools, which clearly makes the government’s plan unrealistic. He reminded that in 2013, the Congress government under Smt. Sheila Dikshit had identified nearly 1,000 plots for new government schools and had set a target of building 200 schools every year.
Insensitive Approach Towards the Future of Government School Students
Devender Yadav said that the BJP government’s claim of constructing only 50 schools in five years clearly reflects its insensitive attitude towards the future of students studying in government schools. He said that such slow progress cannot address the serious problem of overcrowding and lack of infrastructure in Delhi’s schools.
AAP Government’s Education Model Also Failed, Says Congress
Devender Yadav also criticised the previous Aam Aadmi Party government, saying that despite tall claims of changing the education model, it failed completely. He said that in ten years, the AAP government could build only 8–10 schools and was also involved in corruption in the construction of classrooms in existing schools. He added that neither the AAP government nor the present BJP government has paid attention to the plots identified earlier by the Congress government for new schools.
Single-Shift Policy Will Worsen Classroom Overcrowding
Devender Yadav warned that the BJP’s proposal could further worsen conditions in government schools. He said that even now, classrooms are overcrowded and many schools operate beyond their capacity. If students from two shifts are brought into one shift without adequate infrastructure, the pressure on classrooms and teachers will increase further, making it impossible to maintain teaching standards.
Teacher Shortage and Contractual Appointments Ignored
Devender Yadav said that the Rekha Gupta government once claimed that Delhi government schools offer international-level education, but the reality is very different. He pointed out that more than half of the teachers are working on contractual or temporary basis, and there is no serious effort to make permanent appointments. Without sufficient trained and permanent teachers, he said, any talk of smart classrooms and modern technology remains hollow.
No Planning, Only Repetition of Old Political Statements
Concluding his statement, Devender Yadav said that the BJP government is repeating the same statements that the Aam Aadmi Party made for 11 years without delivering real improvements in education. He said that introducing single-shift schools without proper planning, infrastructure, teachers, and classrooms will only harm students further. He urged the government to stop misleading the people of Delhi and focus on genuine, long-term reforms to improve the quality of education in government schools.