Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has merged 38 boys’ and girls’ schools to form co-educational institutions, issuing a formal notification to implement the decision. The move applies to schools located within a radius of 500 meters to one kilometre and will come into effect from the new academic session.
The notification was issued by Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar. Under the reorganisation plan, four schools each in Shimla and Bilaspur, 12 in Kangra, eight in Mandi, six in Solan, and two schools each in Hamirpur and Chamba have been merged. These schools have been integrated with 12 PM Shri schools and will now follow the CBSE curriculum.
According to the government, the shift to co-education and CBSE affiliation is aimed at simplifying administrative procedures, especially for affiliation processes, improving deployment of teachers and staff, and ensuring better use of infrastructure. Officials maintain that students will benefit from exposure to a national-level curriculum and a more competitive academic environment.
As per the notification, principals of schools designated as lead schools for CBSE affiliation will serve as principals of the newly merged government senior secondary co-educational schools with immediate effect. They will assume full administrative control of the merged institutions. Principals of schools that are not designated as lead schools have been directed to report to the respective Deputy Director (Secondary Education) until further posting orders are issued.
All teaching and non-teaching staff from the merged schools will now function under the administrative control of the principal of the newly formed co-educational school. The government has also decided to utilise the buildings and infrastructure of the earlier girls’ schools for setting up proposed Kendriya Vidyalaya schools and sports hostels.
The Director of School Education has been instructed to issue detailed guidelines to ensure smooth implementation of the merger, conversion, and reorganisation process. The guidelines will cover staff transfers and rationalisation, adjustment of sanctioned posts, and transfer of office records, stock, land, and buildings.
Schools in Bilaspur, Ghumarwin, Nadaun, Dharamshala, Indora, Dehra, Nurpur, Palampur, Jawali, Bhangrotu, Jogindernagar, Sarkaghat, Mandi, Arki, Kunihar, Nalagarh, Jubbal, Kotkhai and Bharmour are among those where boys’ and girls’ schools have been merged.
In addition, the government has made 21 other schools co-educational. Schools in Nagrota Bagwan, Kullu, Nahan, Paonta Sahib, Rampur, Rohru, Theog, Chamba, Ani, Una and Lalpani School in Shimla have been converted. The Lalpani school will follow the CBSE curriculum. Among the remaining institutions, several have been affiliated with CBSE, including Nagrota boys, Kullu girls, Nahan girls, Paonta Sahib boys, Rampur boys, Rohru boys, Theog girls, Chamba girls, PM Shri Model School Ani and Una boys school. The remaining co-educational schools will be affiliated with the Himachal Pradesh School Education Board, Dharamshala.
The government maintains that the reorganisation will ensure optimal use of resources, improve administrative efficiency, and help deliver equitable and quality education across the state.
