To,
Hon’ble Shri Narendra Modi
Prime Minister,
Government of India – New Delhi

The Campaign Against Child Labour (CACL-K) is working at the national, state, and district levels with the objective of completely eliminating child labour by ensuring quality education for all children below 18 years. Hundreds of grassroots organisations are actively working as member organisations under this network.

The main goal of this campaign is to ensure that all children in the country are guaranteed their fundamental rights such as the Right to Life, Right to Protection, Right to Development, and Right to Participation, thereby eradicating all forms of child labour and making India a child labour-free nation.

We are activists of the Campaign Against Child Labour – Karnataka and fighters for the Right to Education. With reference to the above subject, we strongly condemn and oppose the statement made by you during your speech delivered in Vadodara on 11th May 2026, wherein you suggested that schools and colleges should conduct online classes similar to the COVID period, citing the crisis in West Asian countries and the need for energy conservation.

Key Points of Objection

1. Educational Inequality Will Increase
   As witnessed during the COVID period, children from rural areas of Karnataka, tribal communities, Dalit communities, and economically weaker families do not have access to smartphones, laptops, or uninterrupted internet connectivity. Online classes will exclude lakhs of children from education. This is against the Right to Education Act, 2009.
2. Severe Negative Impact of Online Education During COVID
   Even today, lakhs of children are suffering from serious consequences of online education during the COVID period such as mental stress, loneliness, learning loss, eyesight problems, mobile addiction, and reduced social interaction. Thousands of studies have documented these impacts and have suggested immediate corrective measures. However, even now, we have not been able to find solutions to many of these problems. Considering children’s mental and healthy development, many countries have banned or regulated the use of digital technology in education. Therefore, the proposal of online classes must be withdrawn.
3. Serious Neglect of Child Rights
   This suggestion reflects a grave neglect of children’s rights and appears to be an attempt to snatch away children’s right to learn actively in schools along with peers—especially the educational rights of poor children in both urban and rural areas.
4. Harm to Children’s Mental and Physical Development
   School is not limited to lessons alone. Interaction with classmates, games, direct guidance from teachers, sports activities, and the midday meal are essential for a child’s overall development. Online classes confine children to screens, leading to loneliness, stress, and learning loss. Post-COVID studies have proven this.
5. Risk of Child Labour Increasing Again
   During times of economic crisis, if schools are closed, children from poor families may be forced into wage labour or agricultural work. Our organisation has been fighting for the last 25 years to make India child labour-free. Online classes will become a setback to this struggle.
6. There Are Other Ways to Save Energy
   Instead of sacrificing children’s education, the government can prevent misuse of official vehicles, reduce unnecessary travel, strengthen public transport, and impose energy efficiency regulations on industries. Children’s future should not become a victim of energy-saving measures.
7. Lack of Digital Infrastructure as Highlighted by NFHS and UDISE Reports
   Recent reports such as the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) and UDISE clearly show that many urban and rural families still do not have stable internet access, smartphones, laptops, or digital infrastructure. Therefore, this idea must be dropped.
8. Irresponsible Suggestion Considering Poor School Infrastructure
   When thousands of government schools lack even basic infrastructure, and many villages do not have proper electricity supply and network connectivity, proposing online education for rural children is irresponsible and unrealistic. This will further deepen inequality in education.

Our Demands

1. The suggestion to conduct online classes in schools and colleges must be withdrawn immediately.
2. This proposal is negative as it will once again restrict children to mobile phones and screens, damaging their mental and physical health and overall well-being. To remove confusion and anxiety among children, parents, and teachers, we strongly demand that the Hon’ble Prime Minister withdraw this statement.
3. Even during an energy crisis, necessary steps must be taken to ensure that schools remain fully open and function normally.
4. Alternative energy-saving measures must be developed in such a way that they do not obstruct the education of rural and marginalised children.
5. In line with the spirit of the Right to Education Act, the Central Government should take steps to build equal-quality schools in every neighbourhood, within walking distance for children, and ensure access to quality education.
6. Education policies and international declarations on the Right to Education strongly emphasise that education must ensure children’s physical, emotional, and social development and should be a holistic process for the overall development of the child. The government should frame appropriate plans and programmes in this direction.

 
Our sincere appeal is that children’s education and future should never be sacrificed for temporary economic calculations. We request you to consider this matter seriously and stand in support of children’s rights. We strongly believe that you will take a child-friendly decision in this regard.

Yours faithfully,
Campaign Against Child Labour – Karnataka
Date: 12 May 2026