Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel urges Amreli girl students to quit social media distractions
Synopsis
On the eve of India's 80th Independence Day, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel sat down with girl students at a sprawling Amreli campus that started with 73 girls in 1997 and now enrolls 8,000 — and his sharpest advice was not about books, but about putting down the phone and the reels.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel addressed girl students at Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul , Amreli, on 14 August 2025 .
Patel urged students to limit use of social media, television, and reels , calling time management essential for career success.
He cited 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies as a step toward stronger political representation.
The institution has grown from 73 girls in 1997 to approximately 8,000 students across more than 12 schools and colleges .
State schemes including Namo Lakshmi and Digital Gujarat were highlighted as key enablers of girls' education in Amreli.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday, 14 August 2025, called on girl students in Amreli district to curtail their use of social media, television, and short-form video reels, stressing that disciplined time management and sustained focus were non-negotiable for career success. Patel made the appeal during a direct interaction with students at the Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul in Amreli, held as part of the state-level celebrations marking India's 80th Independence Day.
What the Chief Minister Said
The interaction spanned student values, women's empowerment, career building, and the responsibilities of the office of the Chief Minister. On career guidance, Patel was direct: students must guard their time against the pull of digital distractions. 'Good values shape a person's identity,' he said, underlining that character and conduct were as important as academic achievement.
On the question of what it means to be a good citizen, Patel acknowledged that enjoyment was a legitimate part of student life, but cautioned that personal choices should not come at the cost of others. He described the Chief Minister's role as carrying 'overall responsibility for the holistic development' of the state and working for the welfare of every citizen.
Women's Empowerment and Political Representation
Patel also addressed the broader question of women's participation in democratic institutions. He cited the decision to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies, calling it a natural extension of the 50 per cent representation already secured by women in local self-government bodies. Greater legislative presence, he argued, would give women a more powerful voice in shaping social policy and law.
Invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guiding mantra — 'Sauno Saath, Sauno Vikas, Sauno Vishwas and Sauno Prayas' — Patel said that mutual trust and collective effort could accelerate national and social progress at twice the current pace.
About the Institution
The Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul, which began in 1997 with just 73 girls, has grown into a sprawling campus with approximately 8,000 students enrolled across more than 12 schools and colleges, spanning kindergarten to postgraduate level, according to Minister of State for Energy and Law Kaushik Vekariya, who delivered the welcome address.
Vekariya acknowledged state government support channelled through schemes such as Namo Lakshmi, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana, assistance for the unreserved category, and the Digital Gujarat initiative, crediting these programmes for strengthening access to education in the district.
Who Was Present
The event was attended by Agriculture Minister and Amreli District In-Charge Minister Jitu Vaghani, Amreli MP Bharat Sutariya, institution President Manubhai Thummar, Vice-President Pratap Jogani, and Ministers Manu Davariya, Atulbhai Kanani, and Abhaysinh Chauhan, among others.
The interaction reflects a broader push by the Gujarat government to position education and women's empowerment at the centre of its Independence Day messaging, with the Amreli event serving as a template for student-leader dialogue across the state.
Point of View
But it sidesteps a harder question: whether Gujarat's education infrastructure — not student discipline — is the binding constraint on outcomes. The Gajera Sankul's growth from 73 to 8,000 students is a genuine success story, yet the Chief Minister's messaging leans heavily on individual behaviour rather than systemic enablers like teacher quality, curriculum relevance, or internet access equity. The women's reservation reference, meanwhile, is politically safe but disconnected from the immediate audience — girls still years away from the ballot. A sharper ask would have been what the state will do differently to translate reservation into real legislative power for women who today sit in that very hall.
NationPress
15 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel say to girl students in Amreli?
Patel urged girl students at the Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul in Amreli to reduce their use of social media, television, and reels, stressing that disciplined time management and a focus on goals were essential for building a successful career. He also spoke on values, good citizenship, and women's political representation.
Where did the Gujarat CM's interaction with students take place?
The interaction was held at the Shantaben Haribhai Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul in Amreli, Gujarat, as part of the state-level celebrations of India's 80th Independence Day on 14 August 2025.
What is the Gajera Shaikshanik Sankul in Amreli?
It is a girls' educational institution in Amreli that began in 1997 with 73 students and has since grown to enrol approximately 8,000 girls across more than 12 schools and colleges, from kindergarten to postgraduate level.
What did CM Patel say about women's reservation in legislatures?
Patel referred to the decision to provide 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state Legislative Assemblies, saying it would build on the 50 per cent representation already achieved in local self-government bodies and strengthen women's role in law-making and social policy.
Which government schemes for girl students did the event highlight?
Minister of State Kaushik Vekariya highlighted state schemes including Namo Lakshmi, Namo Saraswati Vigyan Sadhana, assistance for the unreserved category, and Digital Gujarat as key programmes supporting girls' education in Amreli district.
