The Gujarat government has finalised the redistribution of schools under six newly bifurcated District Education Officer (DEO) offices, including Ahmedabad, after revising an earlier plan that had triggered widespread criticism over uneven allocation.
The revised notification divides Ahmedabad’s schools based on the Sabarmati River, with 1,483 schools placed under the East DEO and 861 schools under the West DEO, taking the total number of schools under the city DEO to 2,344.
Government Revises Earlier Plan
The government had approved the bifurcation of DEO offices in Ahmedabad, Kutch, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara in November 2025. However, the initial allocation of schools was criticised for not considering geographical boundaries and the expansion of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits.
Several areas, including Ghatlodia, Vejalpur, Makarba, Vastrapur and Thaltej, had become part of the municipal corporation but many schools there remained under the rural DEO, leading to dissatisfaction among school management bodies.
Committee Formed After Protests
Following representations made to the Education Minister and Chief Minister, the government constituted a committee to review the allocation. Based on its recommendations, a fresh division of schools and institutions has now been implemented.
Under the earlier plan, 1,822 schools were divided between the East and West DEO offices. The revised arrangement adds 522 more schools, increasing the total to 2,344 schools under the Ahmedabad city DEO.
New Ahmedabad School Distribution
The latest division uses the Sabarmati River as the boundary:
- East DEO: 1,483 schools
- West DEO: 861 schools
The revised structure also includes several schools previously under the Ahmedabad Rural DEO and neighbouring districts, including parts of Chandkheda that were under the Gandhinagar DEO but now fall within Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation limits.
Other DEO Offices Also Reorganised
The reorganisation also covers Kutch, Gandhinagar, Rajkot, Surat and Vadodara. For example, in Kutch, the division has allocated:
- Anjar East: 298 schools with 18 staff members
- Anjar West: 340 schools with 21 staff members
The government said the revised allocation is aimed at ensuring better administrative efficiency and a more balanced distribution of schools across the newly created DEO offices.