**Executive Summary**
This document is a response to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha regarding educational provisions for children in the India-Pakistan border region of Amritsar district, Punjab. It details existing government schemes, infrastructure, and provisions already in place, and outlines further support through the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) from FY 2024-25 to 2028-29. No specific action items or deadlines are outlined in the response.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Existing Educational Provisions:**
* Education falls under the purview of the State Government and UT Administration.
* The Department of School Education and Literacy implements the Samagra Shiksha scheme across all States/UTs, including Punjab.
* Government of Punjab provides mid-day meals, free books, free uniforms, self-defense training, exposure visits, and sports facilities.
* During recent floods, NGOs provided support. School renovations were initiated after the flood.
* Schools in border areas of Amritsar are well-equipped with projectors, computers, and qualified computer faculty.
* 188 ICT labs and 2 Smart classrooms have been approved in Amritsar District under Samagra Shiksha for FY 2025-26.
* **Contingency Measures:**
* Classes are shifted to nearby safe locations during security disruptions.
* Regular classes resume, and school staff ensures the completion of the entire syllabus once normalcy returns.
* **Financial Assistance and Support:**
* Financial assistance is provided to States/UTs under the Vibrant Village Programme for the development of northern border villages.
* Punjab is included under the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) from FY 2024-25 to 2028-29.
* Scholarships are provided through three centrally sponsored and five state-sponsored schemes.
* Guidance and counseling grants are provided, and Nodal officers are appointed for guidance and counseling.
* **Scholarship Schemes:**
* There is no special scholarship scheme for these schools' students.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Students in the Border Areas of Amritsar District, Punjab**
* **Impact:** The students are positively impacted through various existing provisions and infrastructure like mid-day meals, free books and uniforms, and access to digital learning resources. They will further benefit from enhancements made through the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II).
* **Action Required:** None specifically mentioned in the document, though students should continue to avail themselves of the existing and planned support.
**Stakeholder: Government of Punjab**
* **Impact:** The State Government continues to oversee education and receives financial assistance to improve educational facilities and support students.
* **Action Required:** The State Government is responsible for implementing the Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) effectively, ensuring access to scholarships, and continuing to provide existing support systems.
**Stakeholder: Department of School Education and Literacy**
* **Impact:** The Department's role in administering the Samagra Shiksha and Vibrant Village programme is reinforced.
* **Action Required:** Continued administration of the Samagra Shiksha scheme and ensuring proper implementation of VVP-II in the State of Punjab.
Key Entities Referenced
Samagra Shiksha: An integrated centrally sponsored scheme for school education implemented in all States/UTs including Punjab.
Punjab: State along the India-Pakistan border where schools in the Amritsar district are the subject of the policy.
Vibrant Villages Programme: A program providing financial assistance for development of villages on the northern border as a component of Samagra Shiksha.
Ministry of Education: The central ministry responsible for the policy.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 5
ANSWERED ON- 01/12/2025
BORDER SCHOOLS
5. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is considering any special educational scheme or policy for
children and families residing in the zero-line/barbed wire areas along the India-Pakistan
border in Amritsar district in the State of Punjab who live under constant threat and
uncertainty due to their proximity to the international border and are affected badly during
floods, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to establish fully-equipped
border schools with digital learning facilities and qualified staff in these vulnerable areas;
(c) the details of residential schooling or transport facilities to ensure uninterrupted education
during security disruptions;
(d) the details of offer special scholarships, counselling support, reservation in higher
education for children from these high-risk zones, if so, the details thereof; and
(e) the details of daily exposure to a potential war-like environment, urgent intervention is
necessary to protect right to education of these marginalized students effected in floods?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (e): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools
are within the purview of the respective State Government and UT Administration. The
Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing an integrated centrally
sponsored scheme for School education- Samagra Shiksha, in all the States/UTs including
Punjab.
Under Vibrant Village programme component (announced in the Union Budget 2022-
23) of the Samagra Shiksha, financial assistance is provided to the States/UTs for
development of villages on the northern border, to improve the quality of life of people living
in identified border villages. To provide specific interventions in stipulated time period, the
State of Punjab has been included under Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) starting
from financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29.
As informed by the Government of Punjab, the Government is already providing mid-
day-meal facility, free books, free uniform, self-defense training, exposure visit, sports
facilities and many others educational activities to students of Government schools residing
in the zero-line /barbed wire areas along the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar district. During
recent floods many NGOs came forward to help students and distributed bags, books and
track suits etc. Following the flood, the Department initiated school renovations.Further, as informed by the State of Punjab, the government schools in the border
areas of Amritsar are well-equipped with projectors and computers as well as qualified
computer faculty. Under Samagra Shiksha, in Amritsar District, 188 ICT labs and 2 Smart
classrooms have been approved in FY 2025-26.
As informed by the State of Punjab, in the schools which remained closed during
security disruption, the classes are shifted to the nearby safe schools and places. Once the
situation becomes normal, the regular classes resume, school staff systematically complete
the entire pending syllabus so that the academic progress of the students remains
uninterrupted despite the challenges faced in the border areas. Most of the students of these
schools are residents of nearby areas, so there is no need of any residential and transport
facility.
The State of Punjab has also informed that there is no special scholarship scheme
for these schools’ students but Government is providing scholarships through the three
centrally sponsored and five State sponsored schemes. Guidance and Counseling grant
is provided to these schools. Guidance and Counselor Nodal officers are also appointed
to these schools.
****