In a significant policy shift, the Maharashtra government has announced that all single-gender schools in the state will be converted into co-educational institutions, marking the end of an education system that had functioned separately for boys and girls for decades.

As reported by India Today, the State School Education and Sports Department issued an official directive to this effect, confirming that the move will unify existing boys’ and girls’ schools under one structure.

Change follows Bombay HC directive

This decision stems from a directive of the Bombay High Court, which stated that separate schools for girls should not continue. Acting on this judgment, the government issued a corrigendum modifying earlier resolutions from 2003 and 2008, thereby extending the High Court’s order across Maharashtra.

According to education officials, the transition to co-education aims to foster equality and social interaction among students. They emphasised that mixed classrooms will help both boys and girls develop mutual respect, communication skills, and social awareness, preparing them for real-world experiences beyond school.

The government’s order further highlighted that co-education promotes equal participation in academics and extracurricular activities, while also reducing gender-based divisions from an early age. Allowing students of all genders to share the same learning environment, the statement said, aligns with modern educational goals and the vision of an inclusive school culture.

Implementation plan

In cases where separate boys’ and girls’ schools operate on the same premises, the circular mandates that they be merged immediately to form a single co-educational institution.

The Commissioner (Education), Maharashtra State, has been authorised to oversee the transition and approve proposals from schools seeking to adopt the co-education model.