JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government has banned unauthorised entry and the recording of videos for social media within government school premises during school hours, triggering a political row in the state.
The Education Department has issued strict directions regarding photography and videography, while the Congress has questioned the government's intent, claiming that the directives compromise transparency and oversight in schools and warning of an agitation.
According to the order issued by Director of Secondary Education Lalit Kumar, no outsider will be permitted to enter government schools in Rajasthan without prior permission from the principal or the head of the institution.
Only authorised officials will be allowed on the premises. There is a complete ban on entry, photography, videography or conducting interviews within school premises without the principal's prior written consent.
Under the new guidelines, every visitor will have to record their entry in the visitor's register before entering a school.
Further, no outsider may enter classrooms, laboratories, libraries, hostels, playgrounds or student activity areas without the permission of the principal, a teacher or an authorised school official. Even government officials may enter only if they are visiting to discharge their official duties.
The directives prohibit photography, videography, interviews, audio recording or live streaming of students, teachers or school activities without the principal's prior written permission.
The school administration must also ensure that no collection, publication or broadcast of students' photos, videos or personal information takes place in a manner that compromises their privacy, dignity or safety.
Principals have been instructed to immediately inform the local police and education officials if any individual enters the school without permission, refuses to leave the premises, attempts unauthorised photography or videography or disrupts school operations.
Depending on the circumstances, action may be taken under applicable laws, including the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS), the POCSO Act, the Juvenile Justice Act and the Information Technology Act.
Principals may also deny entry to any visitor whose presence could possibly compromise the school's safety, privacy, discipline or academic environment.
To justify its move, the Education Department has cited the principle of ‘in loco parentis’ (acting in the place of a parent) and argued that the school administration bears a special responsibility for the safety, privacy and well-being of children studying in government schools.
The Director of Secondary Education has also referenced the rights to life, dignity and privacy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution, as well as the Supreme Court's ruling on privacy.
The new directive urges principals to deny entry to any visitor whose presence is likely to affect safety, privacy, discipline or the academic environment.
No visitor shall, without the principal's prior written permission, collect information about individual students or publish their identities or images in a manner that is not in the child's best interest or that compromises their safety, dignity or privacy.
Education Department officials noted that, recently, photos and videos of academic activities and students during school hours had been going viral on social media.
Following the Education Department's order, Leader of the Opposition Tikaram Jully remarked that the BJP government has found an “excellent” solution to the issues of dilapidated roofs, leaking classrooms and severe teacher shortages: instead of addressing these shortcomings, they have issued an order to hide them from the public eye.
Now, no one will be able to enter without permission, ensuring the reality remains concealed. He wants the state government to withdraw this dictatorial order immediately; otherwise, a civil disobedience movement will be launched against it.
In addition, Congress State President Govind Singh Dotasra stated that instead of improving the condition of government schools, the BJP government has sought ways to mask its failures and hide the dismal state of the education system.
Rather than fostering transparency, Dotasra claims, “the Education Department has imposed restrictions on entering school premises, taking photographs or videos, and has effectively placed a curb on those who ask questions. The question arises: if everything is in order within the schools, what is there to fear? Why is the government so unsettled by the surfacing of images showing dilapidated buildings, crumbling classrooms, a shortage of teachers, the struggles faced by children, and the failures of the government system?”
Dotasra also asserted that “schools belong to the public - they are not the BJP's private property - and arbitrary orders should not be imposed upon them. Mechanisms for school management and development are designed to ensure the participation of local communities.”
He added, “Any decision that undermines oversight by public representatives, parents, and society runs counter to transparency in the education system. Merely covering up failures will not change the reality.”