India, Aug. 17 -- India's journey as the world's largest democracy has been inseparable from its commitment to public education. For decades, government schools have served as the first classrooms for millions of children, particularly those from rural, tribal, and economically weaker communities. For generations, the neighbourhood government school symbolised aspiration rather than privilege. It offered every child-irrespective of caste, class or geography-a fair chance to succeed.

Today, however, this foundational pillar of the Republic faces an unprecedented challenge. According to analyses of UDISE+ data and highlighted in NITI Aayog's report on the School Education System in India, nearly 94,000 government schools have ceased functi...