Parliament Question: Impact of Recurring School Disruptions on Learning Outcomes

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-2683 ANSWERED ON – 09/03/2026 Impact of Recurring School Disruptions on Learning Outcomes 2683. Shri Pushpendra Saroj: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government has taken note of any recurring disruptions in school education due to severe air pollution, extreme weather and emergency measures such as school closures and shift to hybrid or online classes in several States in the country; (b) if so, the number of days of instructional time lost in Government and Government-aided schools during the last three years, State/UT-wise, particularly in Uttar Pradesh; (c) whether the Government has assessed learning loss, the digital divide and the mental health impact on students due to such disruptions and if so, the details thereof; (d) whether any financial or academic support has been provided to States/UTs, particularly Uttar Pradesh, to bridge learning gaps and strengthen digital infrastructure, if so, the details thereof; and (e) the details of steps taken by the Government to ensure continuity of schooling during environmental or public-health emergencies? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a) & (b): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution, with majority of schools and their operational matters thereof coming under the administrative control of respective State Government and UT Administration. Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education are advisory in nature and States/UTs are expected to implement them duly incorporating necessary additions/modifications suited to their local needs, requirements and priorities. In so far as school safety is concerned, several Departments and agencies of Government of India including Ministry of Education, National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), issue guidelines and advisories from time to time covering various facets of school safety and security. These include Guidelines on School Safety and Security, 2021 issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL), NDMA’s School Safety Policy Guidelines (2016) and Guidelines on Preparation of Action Plan-Prevention & Management of Heat wave, 2017 and NCPCR’s Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools (2021). These guidelines provide flexibility to the Central and State Governments, as applicable, to re-schedule school timings in their respective schools, training for staff and students inemergency preparedness, psychosocial support through counselling and peer networks and safety audit of schools and child-related facilities as per national safety codes. Besides the above, the Ministry of Education encourages all States/UTs, including the State of Uttar Pradesh, to regularly monitor and review student and teacher attendance through Vidya Samiksha Kendra (VSK) so as to work towards minimizing disruptions in school education and improving instructional time. (c) & (d): The Government of India undertakes large-scale assessments to measure learning outcomes in schools across the country from time to time. In this regard, the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 (formerly National Achievement Survey) was conducted by the National Assessment Centre-PARAKH, NCERT under the aegis of the DoSEL, Ministry of Education to measure the learning competencies among students at the end of the Foundational, Preparatory and Middle Stages (Grades 3, 6 and 9 respectively) of schooling and understand contextual variables affecting such performance. National, State and District level reports from PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, providing insights on achievement of stage-specific competencies and contextual variables such as access to digital devices and internet in schools and home, psycho-social health of students and safety, inclusivity and emotional security in schools, are available at https://dashboard.parakh.ncert.gov.in/en, a dedicated dashboard designed to disseminate the findings of the assessment. The Department of School Education and Literacy through workshops conducted by the National Assessment Centre-PARAKH has been handholding the States/UTs in use of assessment evidence for tailored academic reforms, capacity-building programmes and continuous improvement of learning outcomes aligned with NEP 2020. Besides, the Central Government assists States and UTs through the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha, wherein financial assistance is provided to bridge learning gaps and strengthen digital infrastructure through different interventions which inter-alia include remedial teaching for academically weaker students, in service training of teachers and school heads, composite school grant to every school for providing a conducive learning environment, grants for library, support for setting up ICT labs and smart classes, etc. Under Samagra Shiksha, Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) are prepared by respective States and UTs based on their requirements and priorities. These plans are then appraised and approved by the Project Approval Board (PAB) in consultation with the States and UTs as per the programmatic and financial norms of the scheme. During the FY 2023-24 to 2025-26, a total outlay of Rs. 38925.36 cr has been approved by Project Approval Board of Samagra Shiksha to the State of Uttar Pradesh. The total outlay for the three years includes an amount of Rs. 1053.33 crore approved towards establishment of 15,389 ICT labs and 15,603 smart classrooms in Uttar Pradesh. (e): The Government has taken several initiatives to strengthen digital education to ensure continuity of learning during emergencies and school closures through platforms such as PM eVIDYA and Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA). PM eVIDYA provides supplementary education for classes 1–12 through 200 DTH TV channels and 400 radio channels in multiple Indian languages, while DIKSHA offers quality e-content and QR- coded Energised Textbooks (ETBs) for all grades across States/UTs. *****