Government schools in Ahmedabad are drawing students away from private institutions in growing numbers, with 4,817 students in Ahmedabad district transferring from private to government schools during the 2025–26 academic year, officials said on Wednesday, October 21. The shift, officials say, reflects growing parental confidence in Gujarat's state-run education system as modern infrastructure reaches municipal classrooms, IANS reported.

Thaltej Primary School – 2 in Ahmedabad was cited as a flagship example. The school offers Google-featured smart classrooms, a smart library, science and mathematics laboratories, a robotics laboratory and sports infrastructure, and students receive milk, breakfast and meals at school. Principal Chirag Joshi said smart boards are used in every classroom to make lessons more interactive.

4,817students who moved from private to government schools in Ahmedabad district in 2025–26
60,000+students who made the switch to AMC schools over 11 years, per officials
11 yearsperiod over which the private-to-government shift has built up

What students and parents say draws them

Student Angel Dubey said the school's science laboratory has several models that help students understand concepts and learn new things, while fellow student Vansh Chauhan highlighted the science, mathematics and robotics laboratories. Parent Sundaraben pointed to the large playground, sports equipment and musical instruments, and to the arrangements for milk in the morning followed by breakfast and meals.

Dr L. D. Desai, Administrative Officer in the Education Department, Ahmedabad, said parents are obtaining leaving certificates from reputed private schools in the city and enrolling their children in municipal government schools. Over the past 11 years, more than 60,000 children have left prominent private schools to join Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation schools, he said.

Officials linked the trend to the state government's 'Mission Schools of Excellence' programme under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, which prioritises quality education, modern infrastructure and technology-enabled learning in government schools. Officials say the sustained investment is changing the image of government education in Gujarat and helping public institutions compete with private schools.

What is solid

  • 4,817 students in Ahmedabad district left private schools and enrolled in government schools in the 2025–26 academic year (IANS, carried by Nation Press and hi INDiA).
  • Thaltej Primary School – 2 in Ahmedabad has Google-featured smart classrooms, a smart library, science and mathematics laboratories, a robotics laboratory and sports facilities, and provides milk, breakfast and meals (IANS).
  • Education Department administrative officer Dr L. D. Desai said more than 60,000 children have moved from prominent private schools to Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation schools over 11 years (IANS).

What is only claimed

  • The explanation for the shift — that modern facilities and nutrition support are what is drawing parents — is the assessment of officials, the school principal, students and parents quoted by IANS; no independent enrolment study was cited in the reports.

For Ahmedabad's municipal schools, the 2025–26 figure is the latest step in an 11-year trend officials put at over 60,000 students — a reversal of the usual private-school pull, which the state credits to classrooms that now compete on facilities, not just fees.