Yogi govt empowers 37,000 underprivileged children via Sarvodaya Vidyalayas

Lucknow : Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh’s Jai Prakash Narayan Sarvodaya Vidyalayas have emerged as a successful model of social inclusion and equality in education. These fully residential, free-of-cost schools are providing quality, career-oriented education to the bright students from poor and marginalised backgrounds. The number of students benefiting from this initiative has steadily grown over the years—from 32,429 in 2018–19 to nearly 37,000 in 2025–26.

This figure is not just a number but a testament to the Yogi government’s far-sighted vision and commitment to educational inclusion. The addition of approximately 4,571 students over the last seven years reflects the government’s dedication to integrating underprivileged children into the mainstream.

In 2018–19, Sarvodaya Vidyalayas were operational in 100 schools across 58 districts. By 2025–26, this number has grown to 109 schools in 62 districts. According to Kumar Prashant, Director, Department of Social Welfare, nine new Sarvodaya Vidyalayas have been opened this year in Mathura, Ballia, Pilibhit, Gonda, Kanpur Dehat, Amroha, Maharajganj, Ambedkar Nagar, and Mainpuri, benefiting around 2,000 new students with free residential education.

The schools are equipped with smart classes, computer labs, libraries, science laboratories, tablets, aeromodelling, AI workshops, CCTV surveillance, and other advanced technological tools. The provision of meals, uniforms, study materials, and free coaching for competitive exams like NEET, JEE, and CUET ensures students are well-prepared for higher education and self-reliance.

The admission policy of these schools prioritises social equity: 60% of seats are reserved for SC/ST students, 25% for OBCs, and 15% for students from the general category. Moreover, 85% of the admitted students come from rural areas, ensuring that bright students from villages get a fair chance to pursue their dreams. The rise in beneficiary numbers over the past seven years is not just statistical—it reflects the hopes of thousands of families and the foundation for a brighter future for their children.

This initiative under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s leadership reinforces the idea that education is not just a service, but a tool for societal transformation. Through Sarvodaya Vidyalayas, Uttar Pradesh’s double-engine government is building a future rooted in social justice, educational equality, and innovation—where every child, regardless of caste or geography, has an equal right to opportunity and success.

The success of this model is evident in the recent NEET (UG) results, where 12 out of 25 girls from the Mirzapur-based Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Madihan cleared the exam. All these girls belong to backward and scheduled caste and tribe communities—further affirming the impact of this transformative initiative.