The Bihar government’s decision to paint all 551 Model Schools in the state saffron has sparked controversy, not only from the Opposition but also from its own alliance partner, the JD(U). The Model Schools, renamed Saraswati Vidya Niketan, were formally launched by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary on Sunday at an event in Begusarai. The CM posted on X: “We have heralded a new age in education by inaugurating 551 Saraswati Vidya Niketan from Begusarai, the land of poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar.” The schools are equipped with modern digital infrastructure, e-libraries, and smart classrooms, and will provide free JEE and NEET coaching alongside live interactive classes.
However, the decision to paint all these schools saffron, replacing the existing pink, sky blue, or yellow, has drawn criticism. JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar expressed concern, stating that education has no colour and must align only with the spirit enshrined in the Preamble of the Constitution. He also raised concerns about the names of land donors being placed below the ‘Saraswati Vidya Niketan’ signage, suggesting that the donors’ names should precede the new name.
A headmaster of a Model School, speaking on the condition of anonymity, revealed that school authorities were asked to paint the buildings saffron at the earliest. The education department’s letter specifies that there must be uniformity across all model schools, with exterior walls painted saffron, interior classroom walls painted white, and the main gate painted golden. Opposition parties have slammed the move, calling it the ‘beginning of the saffronisation of education’.
RJD national spokesperson Subodh Kumar Mehta stated that it is the RSS model of education, while Bihar Congress spokesperson Asit Nath Tiwari said that the BJP is trying to give education a fixed colour, which is detrimental to democracy. Defending the move, BJP state vice president Santosh Pathak said that the choice of colour represents ‘energy and positivity’. He accused the Opposition of politicising a progressive infrastructure upgrade that will benefit thousands of students.
Earlier, Bihar Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari had said that the Opposition was choosing to “see everything through an RSS prism instead of looking at the large-scale educational reforms being implemented”.
