Rajasthan Restricts School Access Amid Infrastructure Protests

The Government of Rajasthan issued new guidelines restricting the entry of outsiders, including media personnel, into government schools without prior permission from principals. The directives prohibit unauthorized access to classrooms, laboratories, and dormitories, and require written approval for photography, videography, and interviews involving students or teachers. State officials cited the principle of in loco parentis and Article 21 of the Constitution to justify the measures as necessary for student privacy and safety.

These restrictions follow a protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) and students over dilapidated conditions and a lack of drinking water at a school in Thanagaji, Alwar. Secondary education director Lalit Kumar warned that violators could face legal action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. While Education Minister Madan Dilawar denied a blanket ban on the media, the move has triggered a political row.

Opposition leaders, including Congress president Govind Singh Dotasara and CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka, accused the government of attempting to stifle public scrutiny and conceal infrastructure failures and teacher shortages. Ranka vowed to persist with the CJP's School Theek Karo campaign to audit school conditions, while Congress leader Tika Ram Jully threatened a civil disobedience movement if the guidelines are not withdrawn.