(a) whether the Government proposes to set up new schools in rural/semi-rural areas under
various schemes during the next three years;
(b) if so, the number of schools proposed to be set up, State and year-wise;
(c) the details of the targets, if any, fixed by the Government in this regard; and
(d) the action plan prepared by the Government to achieve the targets fixed in this regard?
MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
(SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL ''NISHANK'')
(a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (A) TO (D) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 304 FOR REPLY ON 16.03.2020 ASKED BY HON’BLE
MP DR. RAMAPATI RAM TRIPATHI REGARDING OPENING OF NEW
SCHOOLS
(a) to (d): As per the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education
(RTE) Act, 2009 it is the duty of the respective State and Union Territory Government which
is the appropriate Government under the RTE Act to provide free and compulsory elementary
education to every child of the age 6 to 14 years in a neighbourhood school. In pursuance of
Section 6 of the RTE Act, the respective State and Union Territory (UT) Government have
notified areas or limits of their neighbourhood norms in their State RTE Rules, factoring in
their State specific condition, for opening of schools.
The Central Government, through integrated centrally sponsored scheme of Samagra
Shiksha provides support to the States and UTs for implementing the various provisions of
the RTE Act, including opening/ strengthening of schools. Under erstwhile Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA), till 2017-18 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018-19, sanction has been
given for 3.64 lakh new elementary schools out of which States and UTs have reported the
opening of 3.60 lakh schools. Under erstwhile Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan
(RMSA), till 2017-18 and Samagra Shiksha effective from 2018-19, 12994 new secondary
schools have been sanctioned, out of which States and UTs have reported opening of 12423
new schools, till 31.12.2019.
Proposals for opening of new Kendriya Vidyalayas are considered only when
received in the prescribed proforma from the District Administration through the State
Government concerned. The proposals received from various sponsoring authorities for
opening of new Kendriya Vidyalayas also have to compete among other proposals under the
“Challenge Method”. There are 1227 Kendriya Vidyalayas (and three abroad) functioning in
the country.
The Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme provides for opening of one Jawahar Navodaya
Vidyalaya (JNV) in each district of the country for providing good quality education to
children predominantly from the rural areas. Opening of new JNVs is a continuous process
which depends on the availability of suitable land by the concerned State Government free of
cost for construction of school buildings and the required temporary accommodation (free of
rent) to start the Vidyalaya. However, actual sanction and opening of the JNV depends on the
availability of funds and approval by the Competent Authority. There are 645 functional
Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) in the country.
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