As a concerned citizen Environmentalist and child safety advocate observing daily realities during morning walks, I wish to highlight an issue of growing concern. In residential colonies — especially in urban areas of Madhya Pradesh — an unregulated influx of 40–50 large school buses can be seen entering each society every morning to pick up students.

This is happening due to the absence of any proximity or catchment-based guidelines for school admissions. Students from pre-nursery to secondary levels are commuting 20–40 km daily, even when many are too young to manage such travel.

I am deeply concerned about the current school admission process in Madhya Pradesh, which disregards catchment areas and poses serious risks to children's safety and community coherence. Our state needs immediate reform to ensure that children are admitted to schools within their local areas. This will not only safeguard our children but also reduce unnecessary commute, costs, carbon emission and exposure to potential hazards.

The absence of catchment-based admissions means that many children have to travel long distances, often via unsafe routes and public transport, to reach schools far from their homes. This creates a high-risk environment where children are more susceptible to accidents, bullying, and even abduction. Moreover, long travel times can negatively affect a child's health and academic performance due to exhaustion and reduced study time as well as long-distance commutes contribute significantly to air pollution and fuel consumption, especially with diesel buses.

Implementing a catchment-based system would ensure that schools serve the families in their immediate vicinity, fostering stronger community ties and ensuring that children grow up in supportive environments. Studies have shown that children attending community schools have improved attendance, better academic outcomes, and enhanced social skills due to increased interaction with peers from their neighborhoods.

Community schools can also serve as centers for local engagement and development, providing parents with more opportunities to be involved in their child's education. This system encourages schools to collaborate with local organizations, thereby enriching the educational and cultural experiences available to students.

For the safety and well-being of our children, and for the betterment of community life in Madhya Pradesh, it is crucial to implement catchment-based admission guidelines. By doing so, we prioritize the needs and safety of our children, ensure equitable access to quality education, and strengthen the ties within our communities.

I urge the government and relevant educational authorities to take swift action to introduce and enforce catchment-based school admission guidelines — especially for nursery to middle school in public and private schools.
 - Cap maximum allowable school commute distances (e.g., 1–3 km for primary; 3–5 km for upper grades).
- Incentivize or regulate school bus sharing within colonies to minimize vehicle duplication.
- Mandate safety and monitoring systems in school transport (CCTV, GPS, female attendants).
- Promote neighborhood schooling to enhance community engagement and reduce environmental impact.

This change will bring immediate and long-lasting benefits to our children's lives and our communities as a whole. Please join me in calling for a safer, more connected future for Madhya Pradesh's students. Sign this petition to support the implementation of catchment-based school admission guidelines.