Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education responded to a question in Lok Sabha regarding drinking water and toilet facilities in government and government-aided schools, including those in Tamil Nadu. The Samagra Shiksha scheme, aligned with NEP 2020, aims to ensure access to these facilities. Data from the UDISE Report 2023-24 provides current statistics on the availability of these facilities, and district-wise details for Tamil Nadu schools are included.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Samagra Shiksha Scheme:**
* The scheme is an integrated program from preschool to class XII, aligned with NEP 2020.
* It employs a targeted and saturation approach to provide clean drinking water and separate toilets for boys, girls, and CWSN (Children With Special Needs).
* This is done in convergence with the Department of Drinking Water Sanitation, the Ministry of Housing Urban Affairs, and other infrastructural initiatives.
* **UDISE Report 2023-24 Data:**
* Nationwide, 98.6% of government schools and 97.9% of government-aided schools have toilet facilities.
* In Tamil Nadu, 99.9% of government schools and 93.8% of aided schools have toilet facilities.
* Nationwide, 98.4% of government schools and 97.4% of government-aided schools have drinking water facilities.
* In Tamil Nadu, 99.9% of government schools and 99.6% of aided schools have drinking water facilities.
* The UDISE report is accessible via a provided web link.
* **Tamil Nadu Toilet Facility Details:**
* District-wise data for government schools with toilet facilities in Tamil Nadu for 2023-24 is provided in an annexure.
Impact Analysis:
* **Government of India:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing and overseeing the Samagra Shiksha scheme to improve school infrastructure.
* Action Required: Continue to allocate resources and coordinate with relevant departments and ministries to achieve saturation in providing drinking water and toilet facilities.
* **State Governments (Specifically Tamil Nadu):**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing the Samagra Shiksha scheme at the state level and ensuring schools have adequate facilities.
* Action Required: Utilize the UDISE data to identify and address gaps in drinking water and toilet facilities in government and government-aided schools within their jurisdiction.
* **Schools (Government and Government-Aided):**
* Impact: Directly benefit from the scheme through improved infrastructure.
* Action Required: Ensure that the provided facilities are well-maintained and accessible to all students, including those with special needs.
* **Students:**
* Impact: Benefit from improved access to clean drinking water and sanitation facilities, leading to better health and hygiene.
* Action Required: Utilize and maintain the facilities responsibly.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central government ministry responsible for education in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Shri Eswarasamy K: Member of Parliament who raised the question about drinking water and toilet facilities in schools.
Tamil Nadu: A state in southern India, specifically mentioned concerning the provision of drinking water and toilet facilities in schools.
Shri Jayant Chaudhary: Minister of State in the Ministry of Education who provided the answer to the question.
Samagra Shiksha: An integrated scheme for school education from preschool to class XII, aligned with NEP 2020.
NEP 2020: National Education Policy 2020, a comprehensive framework for education in India.
UDISE Report 202324: Unified District Information System for Education report for the academic year 2023-24, providing data on school education.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2447
ANSWERED ON 04/08/2025
Drinking Water and Toilet facilities in Schools
2447. Shri Eswarasamy K:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to cover all Government and Governments aided
schools in the country including Tamil Nadu with drinking water and toilet facilities;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the number of toilets built in Government schools in Tamil Nadu, district-wise?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) & (b): Samagra Shiksha scheme is an integrated scheme aligned with the NEP 2020,
for school education covering the entire gamut from pre-school to class XII.
Under Samagra Shiksha the Government of India is taking targeted and Saturation
approach for ensuring access to clean and potable drinking water to the students and separate
boys, girls’ and CWSN toilets in all the Government and Governments aided schools in
convergence with the Department of Drinking Water & Sanitation and Ministry of Housing
& Urban Affairs, besides other infrastructural facilities to ensure equitable and accessible
education.
As per the UDISE+ Report 2023-24, currently 98.6% Government and 97.9%
Government aided schools have toilet facilities across the country whereas 99.9%
Government and 93.8% aided schools have toilets facilities in Tamil Nadu. Similarly, 98.4%
Government and 97.4% Government aided schools have drinking water facilities across the
country whereas 99.9% Government and 99.6% aided schools have drinking water facilities
in Tamil Nadu. The UDISE+ report can be accessed on the weblink:
https://udiseplus.gov.in/#/en/page/publications.
(c): The district-wise details of the Government schools with toilet facilities in Tamil
Nadu is attached at the Annexure.
***ANNEXURE
ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (c) OF LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2447 ANSWERED ON 04th AUGUST, 2025 ASKED
BY HON’BLE MP SHRI ESWARASAMY K REGARDING DRINKING WATER
AND TOILET FACILITIES IN SCHOOLS
Government Schools with toilet facilities (2023-24) (Tamil Nadu)
S.No
Total Number of
District Name Schools with Toilet facilities
Government Schools
1. Ariyalur 608 608
2. Chengalpattu 821 820
3. Chennai (Ext. GCC) 533 533
4. Coimbatore 1214 1214
5. Cuddalore 1435 1435
6. Dharmapuri 1382 1381
7. Dindigul 1327 1325
8. Erode 1289 1289
9. Kallakurichi 871 871
10. Kancheepuram 582 581
11. Kanniyakumari 519 517
12. Karur 821 820
13. Krishnagiri 1716 1715
14. Madurai 1254 1251
15. Mayiladuthurai 489 488
16. Nagapattinam 446 446
17. Namakkal 1014 1012
18. Perambalur 360 360
19. Pudukkottai 1572 1571
20. Ramanathapuram 1065 1064
21. Ranipet 745 745
22. Salem 1772 1772
23. Sivagangai 1120 1120
24. Tenkasi 455 454
25. Thanjavur 1379 1379
26. The nilgiris 416 416
27. Theni 532 530
28. Thoothukkudi 716 715
29. Tiruchirappalli 1303 1303
30. Tirunelveli 485 485
31. Tirupathur 718 718
32. Tiruppur 1333 1332
33. Tiruvallur 1342 1342
34. Tiruvannamalai 2004 2004
35. Tiruvarur 947 947
36. Vellore 798 798
37. Villupuram 1295 1294
38. Virudhunagar 994 993
Total 37672 37648
Source: UDISE+ 2023-24