As CJP plans school visits across Rajasthan, state puts curbs on entry of outsiders

Ashutosh Ranka, co-convener of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), announced his plan to visit multiple districts in Rajasthan to evaluate the condition of schools. However, the Rajasthan government subsequently imposed restrictions on outsiders entering government schools and taking photos or videos, citing students' privacy concerns.

Ranka had informed that requests for school inspections had come from various locations across the state, including Jaipur, Ajmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Dholpur, Bharatpur, Kota, Barmer, and Hanumangarh. The Rajasthan government cited the Right to Privacy and the school safety policy of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) as the basis for the restrictions.

The Secondary Education department released a circular outlining strict guidelines for visitors, including mandatory prior permission from the principal, registration in a visitor register, and prohibition of unauthorized photography or videography. Violations could result in legal action under various laws, and school authorities were instructed to report any such incidents to the local police and District Education Officer.

The government's move came after Ranka's sit-in with students at a school in Alwar, where demands for improved school facilities were met by the authorities. Critics, including Congress state president Govind Singh Dotasra, accused the BJP government of covering up its failures and hindering transparency in the education system.