It appears that journalists working for Sun News, a channel owned by DMK’s first family find it hard to call it a day without pushing out negative narratives about Uttar Pradesh. On 15 July 2025, the channel once again courted controversy by publishing a misleading news card targeting the Yogi Adityanath-led BJP government.
The social media post read, “Supreme Court agrees to urgently hear the case regarding the closure of approximately 5,000 government schools in Uttar Pradesh,” and a attached news card read, “Urgent Hearing. The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear the case regarding the closure of approximately 5,000 government schools in Uttar Pradesh. The petition states that the state government’s action will force 3 lakh children to transfer to other schools.”
#NewsUpdate | உத்தரப் பிரதேசத்தில் சுமார் 5000 அரசுப் பள்ளிகள் மூடப்படும் விவகாரத்தை அவசர வழக்காக விசாரிக்க உச்ச நீதிமன்றம் ஒப்புதல்#SunNews | #UttarPradesh | #SupremeCourt pic.twitter.com/tEjfVQvby9
— Sun News (@sunnewstamil) July 14, 2025
However, this portrayal was factually incorrect and sensationalised. The Supreme Court, on 14 July 2025, only agreed to hear a plea challenging the UP government’s policy of merging around 100 under-enrolled primary schools, not the closure of 5,000 schools, as Sun News falsely suggested.
The plea was filed by advocate Pradeep Yadav on behalf of petitioner Taiyyab Khan Salmani and was accepted for listing by a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi. The move stems from the state’s decision to consolidate schools with fewer than 50 students a policy that had already received the green light from the Allahabad High Court’s Lucknow bench.
In fact, on 7 July 2025, Justice Pankaj Bhatia dismissed a petition filed by a guardian representing 51 students from Sitapur district. The petition claimed the merger violated Article 21A of the Constitution, which ensures free and compulsory education and mandates that a primary school be available within one kilometre for every population cluster of 300.
Opponents of the policy argue that the merger may increase the distance children need to travel, especially affecting students in remote rural areas. However, the state government has defended its policy as a rational effort to improve education quality.
The State’s Justification
Representing the government, Additional Advocate General Anuj Kudesia and Chief Standing Counsel Shailendra Kumar Singh clarified that many government schools across UP suffer from extremely low enrolment. Out of the state’s 1.4 lakh government primary and upper primary schools, approximately 29,000 have fewer than 50 students, even as nearly 89,000 teachers are deployed in them.
The government asserts that merging these institutions is aimed at enhancing the learning environment by ensuring optimal teacher deployment, better infrastructure, and more peer interaction. The focus, they insist, is not on shutting down schools but on consolidating resources to ensure quality education, particularly in underserved regions.
Government officials have further stated that affected students will be transferred to nearby schools within walkable distances, and transportation assistance will be provided if needed.
Misinformation or Propaganda?
In light of these facts, Sun News’ claim about the ‘closure of 5,000 government schools’ in Uttar Pradesh appears to be a deliberate misrepresentation. This blatant attempt to push a politically motivated narrative particularly when the DMK faces criticism amounts to irresponsible journalism. Such reporting not only misleads the public but also erodes the very principles of ethical journalism.
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