Rajasthan schools tighten entry, photo rules for outsiders

Rajasthan’s education department has issued strict new guidelines for government schools, requiring written permission from the principal before any outsider can enter the campus or take photos, videos, or interviews of students and staff. Authorised officials on government work are exempt. Every visitor must now sign a register, and principals can refuse entry without giving a reason.

Aaj Tak reports the rules aim to protect children’s safety, dignity and privacy. Unauthorised entry or recording can lead to police action and cases under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act and IT Act.

Critics have hit back. Congress leader Govind Singh Dotasara accused the government of ending transparency to hide crumbling school infrastructure rather than fixing it. Ashutosh Rana of the Cockroach Janata Party said his team would keep inspecting schools despite the order, arguing the state should repair schools instead of restricting oversight.