Children of labourers and those orphaned during the COVID-19 pandemic in Uttar Pradesh will soon get access to state-of-the-art educational facilities, with the state government starting the admission process for the maiden session of the Atal Residential Schools. The residential schools named after BJP stalwart and former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee will provide free education to children from classes 6 to 12. Students will also get full residential facilities.

Students will need to clear an entrance exam for admission in the 18 such schools in each administrative division of the state.

The session will start for class 6 in July, Uttar Pradesh Minister of Labour and Employment Anil Rajbhar said.

The schools will be managed by the Uttar Pradesh labour department.

"Children of parents holding e-shramik cards for at least three years and registered with the Uttar Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (UPBOCW), are eligible for admissions to the school. Children, who lost either or both of their parents, to Covid are also eligible," he added.

Children born between May 1, 2010 and April 30, 2013 will only be eligible for admission to Class 6 in Atal schools. The government has made provision to admit a maximum of only two children from a family in the schools.

Speaking about the objective behind setting up of such schools, the minister said, "The aim of establishing Atal Residential Schools is to ensure overall development of children of registered labourers. This will help them join the mainstream and provide a better future for themselves and their families." Special Secretary, Labour Department, Rajendra Singh, said, “The schools will work on the lines of Navodya Vidyalayas and follow the CBSE curriculum. Each of the schools have around 10 sanctioned posts for teachers. The process of appointment of teachers is underway and the appointment letters will be issued in the coming week".

According to officials of the Labour department, while the construction of 16 of the proposed schools has almost been completed, the construction of schools in Moradabad and Bareilly are running behind schedule.

Labour department officials said this delay will not affect the admission process. "The admission will be held in all the 18 schools. We will make separate arrangements on a temporary basis for students of Atal school in Bareilly and Moradabad," said Singh.

In the state capital, the newly constructed Atal school is spread across 17 acres in Sithorikala of Mohanlalganj block. The school was constructed at a cost of 70 crore. School Principal Sukhvir Singh said, “The school has an academic block, separate hostels for boys and girls, mess, teachers quarters and principal's residence. The school has all the amenities to provide a suitable environment for teaching." Raghunath Verma, a Lucknow-based mason registered with UPBOCW has submitted the admission form of two of his four children.

"I have submitted the admission form of my 11-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter for admission in the Atal Residential School. They study in a nearby private school and are good in studies but the fees of their school is high. I hope they get admission in the Atal school and complete their education," Verma said.

In Prayagraj, the Atal Residential School has been constructed at Belhat village in Koraon development block of the district at a cost of around Rs 70 crore. The school is located in the trans-Yamuna area of Prayagraj and is over 80 km from the district headquarters.

Singh said the admission form for the entrance exam is available free of cost at the regional offices of the Labour department.

"The date of entrance exam will be fixed by officials at the divisional level. The entrance examination is likely to be completed in all divisions by June 15," said Singh.

In Lucknow division, the last date of submission of admission form of Atal residential school is May 27 and the entrance test will be held on June 11, said Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Roshan Jacob.

The establishment of the Atal residential schools was announced in 2019 by chief minister Yogi Adityanath in memory of former prime minister Vajpayee. Apart from free schooling and lodging, children will also receive free uniform, books, and bags.

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