Gandhinagar: The 23rd edition of Gujarat’s innovative initiative, Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav, which aims to achieve 100% enrollment of school-going children and promote girls’ education in the state, will be held from June 26 to 28, 2025.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel presided over a preparatory meeting held in Gandhinagar on Tuesday with ministers, dignitaries, and approximately 400 high-ranking officers, including IAS, IPS, and IFS (Class-1 officers), who will participate in this three-day statewide Shala Praveshotsav.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister said that over the past 22 years of Praveshotsav, significant progress has been made, including radical reforms in the state’s education sector. “Let us make it more dynamic and work as a team. Based on the experiences and feedback from previous Praveshotsavs, let us work together for more result-oriented outcomes,” he added.

Shala Praveshotsav, initiated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002-03, has completed 22 years.

This year, the 23rd Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav will be held with the theme, “Come, let’s make Shala Praveshotsav a social festival”, in 1,529 government secondary and higher secondary schools, 5,134 grant-in-aid secondary and higher secondary schools, and 31,824 government primary schools across the state.

The Education Department has planned to enroll a total of 25.75 lakh students during this Shala Praveshotsav. This includes:

• 8.75 lakh children eligible for admission to Balvatika,

• 10.50 lakh students eligible for admission from 8th to 9th standard, and

• 6.50 lakh students eligible for admission from 10th to 11th standard.

CM Patel urged the creation of an environment where more and more children enroll in government schools. He also emphasized the need to inform SMC members and children during Praveshotsav about the benefits of the ‘Namo Lakshmi’ scheme, to encourage girls to pursue education from standards 9 to 12, and the ‘Namo Saraswati’ scheme, to cultivate interest in science stream education among children.

On this occasion, Education Minister Dr. Kuber Dindor stated that in this year’s Praveshotsav, the state government has also focused on admissions from 8th to 9th standard and from 10th to 11th standard. Through an AI-based tracking system, a list of potential dropouts will be prepared, and special attention will be given to such students.

He added that a new direction is being taken in secondary education through the approach of “review, not examination” and “performance, not presentation.” DeshGujarat