All schemes started by PM Modi during his stint as Gujarat CM have been immensely successful: Bhupendra Patel launches annual state-wide school enrolment drive

Indian Express

6 days ago

All the public interest schemes started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his stint as the Chief Minister of Gujarat have been 'immensely successful' and the efficacy of their results is there for all to see, CM Bhupendra Patel said on Thursday as he launched the 23rd edition of the annual state-wide enrolment drive – Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani – from Divda PM Shri School in Kadana taluka of Mahisagar district.
While enrolling students to Balvatika, primary school and Class IX, and welcoming them to the school by gifting them educational kits, the CM said, 'When the PM (Modi) started the school entrance festival in 2003, the drop out rate was around 35%. This has been reduced to 0.85%, i.e. less than 1%. The state government has taken sufficient care to ensure that the children admitted to the school do not drop out of their studies.'
He further said, 'The government stands by such children through the Namo Lakshmi and Namo Saraswati schemes to ensure that they do not face any inconvenience in their studies due to financial problems in their family.'
Patel said the government has also taken care that the students come to school regularly. 'If a child is absent for even a day, the teachers go to their house and find out the reason behind it… if there is public participation in government schemes, everyone benefits and 100% results are obtained,' he added while appealing to the parents to be active in the School Management Committees (SMC).
The CM said Gujarat is committed to 100% enrolment of children and all-round development through quality education while taking forward the annual enrolment drive started by the PM.
In Ahmedabad city, Minister of State for Cooperation Jagdish Vishwakarma flagged off the drive by admitting students at Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation-run Kankaria Gujarati School Number 1 and grant-in-aid Shri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya in Maninagar.
As per the data of Ahmedabad Municipal School Board, as of June 25, the total number of children admitted in Balvatika in Ahmedabad city for the year 2025-26 is 13,427, which includes 6,732 boys and 6,695 girls. The total number of new admissions in Class I is 3,406, including 1,723 boys and 1,683 girls. In addition, the total number of children who have passed out of Balvatika and got admission in Class I is 15,479, including 7,732 boys and 7,747 girls. Thus, a total of 32,312 children are included in Balvatika and Class I, including 16,187 boys and 1,6125 girls. The total number of children who have taken admission in Municipal Corporation schools from Class I till VIII from private schools is 2,941, including 1,568 boys and 1,373 girls.
PM Modi had launched the Kanya Kelvani Mahotsav and Shala Praveshotsav in 2003-04 when he was the CM of the state. This year, the state government had declared that the theme of the drive would be 'Let's make Shala Praveshotsav a social festival'.