Cuttack, Aug. 2: Plans to close primary schools in Odisha that have a student strength below 25 has come under judicial scrutiny.

Orissa High Court has issued a notice to the state government while adjudicating on a petition seeking intervention against it.

As many as 5,503 government-run primary schools in the state are facing a threat of closure because of the government’s plans. There are 51,300 primary schools in Odisha. The plan envisaged closing schools that have less than 25 students and accommodating the students of those schools in other nearby schools.

The petition, filed by Malati Panda, a resident of Jajpur, alleged that closure of the schools would violate fundamental rights – that is the right to free and compulsory education. The petitioner sought the court’s intervention citing the case of Jajpur District Usharani Upper Primary School.

“The single-judge bench of Justice B.N. Mohapatra, before which the petition came up yesterday, posted the matter to August 13 for hearing along with a reply from the state government,” petitioner counsel Chandrakanta Nayak told The Telegraph today.

“Accordingly, the bench issued notices to the state chief secretary and the secretary of school and mass education department,” Nayak said.

The petition quoted the school and mass education department’s announcement on July 16 that schools with less than 25 students will be closed.

While reviewing the attendances of students, school and mass education secretary Usha Padhee had announced that the decision was under active consideration of the government. Data compiled by the school and mass education department indicated that of the 51,300 primary schools in the state, 5,503 schools had less than 25 students per school while 19,167 had a student strength between 26 and 60.

The number of schools with student strength ranges of 61-100 and 101-140 are 11,208 and 6,315 respectively. There are only 1,162 primary schools with more than 300 students.