This document summarizes Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 4018, answered on August 18, 2025, by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Shri Jayant Chaudhary, regarding basic facilities in government schools and compliance with the Right to Education (RTE) Act.
The response indicates that the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) utilizes the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) to collect data on school education indicators from all States and Union Territories. UDISE 2023-24 data, available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parlques, details the State/UT-wise percentage of government schools with functional girls' toilets, boys' toilets, drinking water, and electricity connections.
The response also addresses advancements in universal access to education, citing the Gross Access Ratio (GAR) as evidence. GAR data for 2018-19 and 2024-25 are as follows:
| Year | Primary | Upper Primary | Secondary | Higher Secondary |
|---------|---------|---------------|-----------|------------------|
| 2018-19 | 97.15 | 96.49 | 88.24 | 65.05 |
| 2024-25 | 97.83 | 96.57 | 95.35 | 94.97 |
GAR is defined as the total number of villages/habitations with a school within a specified norm in a given year, out of the total number of villages/habitations in that year.
Finally, the response clarifies that education is on the Concurrent List of the Constitution, giving the respective State Governments/UT Administrations the authority over the opening, closing, and rationalization of schools. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 mandates access to elementary schools within defined neighborhood areas, and Section 8 requires appropriate governments to provide free and compulsory elementary education and ensure the availability of neighborhood schools, with all States having notified area/limits of their neighborhood norms in pursuance to Section 6 of the RTE Act.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central government ministry responsible for education in India, formerly known as the Ministry of Human Resource Development.
Right to Education Act RTE Act: The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, a law in India that ensures free and compulsory education for children aged 6-14 years.
Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre: A member of the Lok Sabha who raised a question about basic facilities in schools.
SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education.
Unified District Information System for Education Plus UDISE: A system developed by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education to record data on school education indicators.
Department of School Education and Literacy DoSEL: A department within the Ministry of Education responsible for school education.
Constitution: The Constitution of India, which places education in the Concurrent List.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-4018
ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025
Basic Facilities in Schools
†4018. Shri Balya Mama Suresh Gopinath Mhatre:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) the number of Government schools wherein basic facilities like toilets, drinking water and electricity
are unavailable, State/UT/district-wise;
(b) the names of the States/UTs lagging behind in complying with the provisions of the Right to
Education Act (RTE Act);
(c) whether the Government is reviewing the 'school merger' policy under which many small schools are
being closed; and
(d) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a): The Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), Ministry of Education has developed
the Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) system to record data on
indicators of school education provided by all the States and Union Territories. As per UDISE+ 2023-
24, State/UT-wise percentage of Government schools with Girl’s toilets, Boy’s toilet, Drinking Water
and Electricity connection facility are available at https://www.education.gov.in/en/parl_ques.
(b) to (d): As per the data available on UDISE+, advancements have been made in improving universal
access across all levels of school education. This is evidenced by Gross Access Ratio (GAR) for 2018-
19 and 2024-25:
Year Primary Upper Primary Secondary Higher Secondary
2018-19 97.15 96.49 88.24 65.05
2024-25 97.83 96.57 95.35 94.97
GAR: Gross access ratio (GAR) is total villages/habitations having school within specified norm in a year out of
total villages/habitations in that year.
Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools come under the
purview of the respective State Government/UT Administration. The opening, closing and
rationalisation of schools are within the purview of respective State Government and UT
Administration. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 provides
children’s access to elementary schools within the defined area or limits of neighbourhood. In pursuance
to Section 6 of the RTE Act, all States have notified area or limits of their neighbourhood norms.
Further, Section 8 of the RTE Act, 2009 also mandates that the appropriate government shall provide
free and compulsory elementary education to every child and will ensure availability of neighbourhood
schools.
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