Question : Opening of New Hostels

(a) whether there is any provision in girls hostel scheme to open hostel for
educationally backward blocks in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof and definition of development of backward blocks;
(c) whether it has come to the notice of the Government that girls students are
dropping out of schools due to lack of hostels extension arrangement;
(d) if so, whether the Government is contemplating on arrangement of extension of
hostels; and
(e) if so, the details thereof and the time by when it is likely to be implemented?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

(SHRI UPENDRA KUSHWAHA)

(a)&(b) : Yes, Madam. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has
provision for setting up of Girls Hostels under Girls’ Hostel component of Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)
component of Sarva Shksha Abhiyan (SSA) in the Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs).

The EBBs have been identified on the basis of composite criteria of blocks with a
rural Female Literacy Rate (FLR) below the national average of 46.13% and Gender Gap in
Literacy higher than the national average of 21.59%, as per Census 2001. The total Number of
identified EBBs is 3451.

Under Girls’ Hostel component of RMSA, hostels with lodging and boarding
facilities are set up for girl students who are in the age group of 14-18 years studying in classes
IX to XII and belonging to SC, ST, OBC, Minority communities and Below Poverty Line
families. The Girls’ Hostels have a capacity of 100. The total number of sanctioned Girl’s
hostels are 2549 as on date. KGBVs provide residential upper primary schools to girls who
are unable to go to regular schools, out of school girls in the 10+ age group who are unable to
complete primary school and younger girls of migratory populations in difficult areas of
scattered habitations that do not qualify for primary/upper primary schools. The KGBVs have
a capacity of 50 to 100. The total number of sanctioned KGBVs as on date are 3703.

( c) : No such cases of dropout of girls due to lack of extension of hostels have been reported.

(d) & (e) : There is no proposal at present to extend the capacity of the hostels.