Rajasthan Government's Name-Change Campaign Sparks Row; Critics Allege Saffronisation of School Education
Rajesh Ansari | 14 April 2026 | The New Indian Express
The Rajasthan government’s ‘Sarthak Naam Abhiyan’, aimed at replacing student names in government schools with culturally rooted alternatives, has triggered a controversy, with critics alleging it is a move towards saffronisation of education.
According to an official order issued on Tuesday by the department’s Joint Secretary, the campaign seeks to modify the names of students in government schools whose existing names are perceived as “meaningless or negative,” as such names may adversely affect their self-confidence. The order states that these names should be replaced with ones that are “meaningful, simple, and pure” to support personality development and self-esteem among students…