LUCKNOW, Aug. 1 -- In an apparent move to quell the ongoing opposition over school merger by political parties, teachers, students and parents, the Uttar Pradesh government has slightly softened its stand as basic education minister Sandeep Singh on Thursday clarified that government primary schools located more than one kilometre away from students' homes and those having 50 or more enrolled students will not be merged. The move comes in the wake of concerns raised in some districts claiming that school mergers had forced children to travel long distances, making education less accessible. Corrective actions are now being taken on the basis of complaints received. In fact, it will be ensured that all those schools operate as before at the same places like they were functioning before school pairing was introduced. State basic education minister (independent charge) Sandeep Singh made this announcement at a press conference at Lok Bhavan. "The complaints received from some districts have been taken seriously and where necessary, orders have been given to run the schools as before," he said.P2...