The Chief Minister's Office of Gujarat announced on Wednesday, June 17, 2026 that the 24th statewide Shala Praveshotsav — an annual school enrollment festival — will be held from June 23 to 25, 2026, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghvi.

Context

The post, written in Gujarati, describes the initiative as a 'gyanyagna' (a 'yajna of knowledge') — a phrase that underscores the campaign's cultural framing as a collective societal offering. The CMO called on citizens to transform the enrollment festival into a 'samajutsav' (a community celebration), in service of the vision of an 'Shikshit Gujarat, Viksit Gujarat' (Educated Gujarat, Developed Gujarat) contributing to an 'Shikshit Bharat, Viksit Bharat' (Educated India, Developed India).

The event is formally titled Shala Praveshotsav and Kanya Kelavani Mahotsav — combining a school enrollment drive with a festival specifically focused on girls' education. This dual mandate has been central to the programme since its inception.

Policy Backdrop

The initiative was launched in 2003 by Narendra Modi, who was then Chief Minister of Gujarat. Modi served in that role from 2001 to 2014 before becoming Prime Minister of India. The CMO's post explicitly credits him as the originator, calling the programme his 'gyanyagna'.

Over more than two decades, successive Gujarat governments have continued the annual drive, which targets school-age children — particularly girls from rural families — to boost first-day enrollment and reduce dropout rates. The programme sits within a broader national framework of universal elementary education and gender parity in schooling.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries are school-age children across Gujarat, with a particular emphasis on girl students and rural families who have historically faced barriers to formal education. Senior political leadership personally participating in enrollment drives at the local level has been a defining feature of the campaign, lending it visibility and administrative momentum.

Community participation is central to the programme's design. By framing enrollment as a 'samajutsav', the state government signals that responsibility for children's education is shared between the government and civil society — a message directed at parents, village leaders, and local institutions alike.

What's Next

The three-day event spanning June 23 to 25, 2026 will be watched for enrollment figures, participation rates, and any new targets or announcements related to girls' retention in schools or educational infrastructure. This edition marks the 24th consecutive year of the campaign, making it one of Gujarat's longest-running state-level education initiatives. The outcomes will also be read as a signal of the state's progress toward its stated vision of a fully educated and developed Gujarat feeding into national education goals.