LUCKNOW, July 10 -- On the lines of private schools, the Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch government-run nursery, kindergarten and preparatory schools, which will be named Bal Vatikas 1, 2, and 3. These new pre-primary schools aim to provide education to children between the ages of 3 and 6, according to an official. The way has been cleared for the launch of government-run pre-primary schools after the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed all petitions filed by some students challenging the state government's decision to pair or merge schools with fewer than 50 students. Currently, around 29,000 government primary schools have fewer than 50 students. "A detailed government order for the opening of pre-nursery classes in government schools for children under the age of 3 will be issued soon," said Deepak Kumar, additional chief secretary of basic education. He explained that there are currently 1.32 lakh government primary and upper primary schools. Through school pairing, the Basic Education Department will have access to more school buildings to run Bal Vatikas, he added. The Uttar Pradesh government is ready to launch pre-primary and kindergarten classes in all state-run schools, where trained contractual educators, joyful learning environments, mid-day meals, and child-friendly infrastructure will be provided. The initiative aims to offer every child a strong and joyful foundation for their educational journey, Kumar said. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 places special emphasis on pre-primary education. To implement this, the Basic Education Department, through Samagra Shiksha, UP, is working in a well-planned manner to create continuous resources for children aged 3 to 6 years, ensuring they are equipped with necessary infrastructure and educational materials, said Kanchan Verma, director general of school education. At present, all the Anganwadis situated in the school premises have been declared as Balvatikas. To make optimum use of resources, after pairing of schools, the remaining schools can be used as 'Balvatikas'. The reform is guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks at the chief secretaries' conference where he recommended an inclusive and phased transition for children from small to larger schools, said DG School education....