(a) the number of secondary schools in the country that do not have any playground, State/UTwise
including Gujarat and West Bengal along with the reasons therefor;
(b) the steps taken/being taken by the Government in this regard; and
(c) whether the Government proposes to introduce scheme in this regard and if so, the details
thereof?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)
(a) As per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), 2016-17 (Provisional),
there are 55,074 (22.11%) secondary schools without playground in the country. Details of secondary
schools without playground State/UT-wise including Gujarat and West Bengal are at Annexure. Nonavailability
of playground in the schools is mostly due to non-availability of land.
(b) and (c) The Schedule to Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
lays down the norms and standards for a school building. A school building has to be an all-weather
building comprising, inter alia, playground facility.
The Ministry of Human Resource Development has formulated an Integrated Scheme for
School Education – Samagra Shiksha, which subsumes erstwhile Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
(SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE). Samagra
Shiksha effective from 1st April, 2018 supports States and UTs for strengthening of existing
government schools, and for creation and augmentation of infrastructure facilities based on the gap
determined by Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) and proposals received
from respective State/UT.
To address the issue of shortage of playgrounds in schools, this Ministry has issued an advisory
to the State Governments that the schools that do not have playgrounds, may make adequate
arrangements in an adjoining playground, municipal park etc., for children to play outdoor games and
other physical activities.
There is an inbuilt system for creating sports facilities for students in Kendriya Vidyalayas. As
and when a building for Kendriya Vidyalaya is constructed, a provision is kept for developing sports
infrastructure/playgrounds as per the local need and the land availability. Also, in Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalayas, play facilities such as running track, playfield, Basketball field, Kho-Kho etc are provided.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has also included provision of playgrounds
in its Affiliation Bye laws. As per clause 3.3 (ii) (a) of the Affiliation Bye laws, it is laid down that
“the School/Society/Trust/Company registered under section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 or the
Congregation or other Religious Body controlling the Society/Trust/Company registered under Section
25 of the Companies Act, 1956 managing the school must have about two acres (or as otherwise
permitted measurement) of land and a building constructed on a part of land and proper playgrounds
on the remaining land.” As per clause 8.6 of the Affiliation Bye laws, “the School should have
adequate facilities for providing recreation activities and physical education as well as for conduct of
various activities and programs for developmental education and for the social, cultural and moral
development of the students and for safeguarding their health.” As per clause 8.7 of the CBSE
Affiliation Bye laws, the school should have the following sports facilities as (i) adequate ground to
create outdoor facilities for a 200 metre track; (ii) adequate land for kabbadi and Kho-Kho; and (iii)
facilities for playing Volleyball.
Further, Ministry of Rural Development has issued a notification in March, 2017 which makes
a provision for construction of play fields and compound walls for Government run schools in the
villages under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005.
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