Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education addresses Lok Sabha question 343 regarding school safety audits. Directives issued on July 26, 2025, and August 7, 2025, urge States/UTs to ensure student safety through implementation of existing safety guidelines, structural safety audits, and necessary building repairs or demolition. These measures aim to prevent injuries and loss of life due to infrastructure failures.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **General Guidelines and Directives:**
* Ministry of Education guidelines are advisory; States/UTs can modify them to suit local needs.
* Directive on July 26, 2025, urges States/UTs to ensure student safety and wellbeing.
* Directive on August 7, 2025, focuses on structural safety of school buildings.
* **Safety Measures and Audits:**
* Safety audits of schools and child-related facilities are to be conducted per national safety codes.
* Emergency preparedness training for staff and students is required.
* Psychosocial support through counseling and peer networks should be provided.
* Unsafe buildings must be identified via safety audits and either demolished or repaired.
* Unsafe buildings must not be used until certified safe.
* Temporary schooling arrangements should be made if demolition occurs.
* **Existing Guidelines Referenced:**
* "Guidelines on School Safety and Security" (Department of School Education and Literacy, October 1, 2021).
* National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) "Guidelines on School Safety Policy" (February 27, 2017).
* "Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools" (NCPCR, February 26, 2018).
* **Key Provisions of Referenced Guidelines:**
* Ensuring school safety and security.
* Accountability of stakeholders and departments.
* Collaboration among stakeholders.
* Awareness of safety policies.
* Zero Tolerance Policy against negligence.
* Monitoring of safety audits, mock drills, and fire safety measures.
* Structural safety compliance for recognition certificates.
Impact Analysis:
* **State Governments and UT Administrations:**
* Impact: Responsible for implementing Ministry of Education's guidelines, conducting safety audits, and ensuring structural safety of schools.
* Action Required: Implement the Ministry's directives, conduct safety audits, repair or demolish unsafe buildings, arrange temporary schooling if needed, and monitor/report progress.
* **Education Departments, School Boards, and Affiliated Authorities:**
* Impact: Responsible for acting without delay in implementing safety measures.
* Action Required: Implement safety measures outlined in the directives and guidelines.
* **School Staff and Students:**
* Impact: Directly affected by the implementation of safety measures and emergency preparedness training.
* Action Required: Participate in safety training and drills.
* **Ministry of Education:**
* Impact: Oversees the implementation of safety measures and provides guidelines to States/UTs.
* Action Required: Monitor the progress of States/UTs in implementing the directives.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central government ministry responsible for education in India, issuing directives on school safety and security.
Department of School Education and Literacy: A department within the Ministry of Education responsible for school education and literacy programs, issuing guidelines on school safety and security.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where questions regarding school safety are addressed.
Constitution: Refers to the Constitution of India, which places education in the Concurrent List, giving both the central and state governments jurisdiction.
State Government: The government of an individual state within India, responsible for the administration and control of the majority of schools.
Union Territories: Refers to the Union Territories of India, which, along with State Governments, are responsible for implementing school safety guidelines.
Guidelines on School Safety and Security 2021: A set of guidelines issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, on October 1, 2021, aimed at ensuring the safety and security of children in schools.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA): A governmental body in India responsible for disaster management, which issued the National Disaster Management Guidelines on School Safety in 2016.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 343
ANSWERED ON 18.08.2025
Safety Audit of Schools
*343. Dr. Alok Kumar Suman:
Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to carry out/undertake safety audit of all the schools in the
country to prevent the death of students, if so, the details thereof;
(b) the details of measures taken by the Government to prevent the death of students due to
collapse of the school buildings in the country; and
(c) the stipulated timeframe for the completion of safety audit of the schools along with the
details of other preventive measures taken by the Government in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF EDUCATION
(SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)
(a) to (c): A Statement is laid on the table of the House.
******STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 343 FOR 18.08.2025 ASKED BY HON’BLE MEMBER OF
PARLIAMENT DR. ALOK KUMAR SUMAN REGARDING SAFETY AUDIT OF
SCHOOLS
(a) to (c): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools
are under the administrative control of respective State Government and UT Administration.
Guidelines issued by Ministry of Education are advisory in nature and States/UTs are expected
to implement them and they may incorporate additions/modifications to them, according to their
specific requirements.
The Ministry of Education has issued a latest directive on 26th July 2025 to all States and
Union Territories to take urgent steps to ensure the student safety and well-being. This refers to
the "Guidelines on School Safety and Security" (2021) and the National Disaster Management
Guidelines on School Safety (NDMA, 2016) issued on 27.02.2017 and includes safety audits of
schools and child-related facilities as per national safety codes, training for staff and students in
emergency preparedness, and the provision of psychosocial support through counselling and
peer networks. The Ministry has urged Education Departments, School Boards, and affiliated
authorities to act without delay in implementing these measures. The directives are available on
the link: https://dsel.education.gov.in/sites/default/files/update/ss2607.pdf
Further, the Ministry of Education on 7th August 2025, has directed all States/UTs to
ensure the structural safety of school buildings and urgent identification of unsafe and
dilapidated school buildings through safety audits, followed by demolition, if required or repair
of structurally unsafe structures, and prohibition of use, until certified safe. Authorities are
advised to arrange temporary schooling where needed, gainfully use the space created due to
demolition, ensure regular monitoring and reporting, and ensure safety/ structural fitness
compliance certification for any re-occupancy. States/ UTs are instructed to strictly enforce the
above measures and avoid any further injuries and loss of life due to preventable infrastructure
failures. The directives are available on the link:
https://dsel.education.gov.in/sites/default/files/update/ss07008.pdf
Earlier, Government of India has issued various guidelines for ensuring safety and
security of children in schools, as under: -
1. Guidelines on School Safety and Security by Department of School Education and
Literacy issued on 01.10.2021. These guidelines are uploaded on the website of DoSEL at
https://dsel.education.gov.in/sites/default/files/2021-10/guidelines_sss.pdf
2. Guidelines on School Safety Policy by the National Disaster Management Authority
(NDMA, 2016) issued on 27.02.2017. These guidelines are available at the link:
https://dsel.education.gov.in/sites/default/files/rte/Guidelines_feb.pdf
3. NCPCR examined and compiled different guidelines and developed a comprehensive
manual titled- “Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools” dated 26.02.2018. The
manual is available at the link:
https://ncpcr.gov.in/uploads/165604923562b54e531fe87_manual-on-safety-and-security-of-
children-in-schools-sep-2021-2465-kb.pdf
These guidelines interalia contain provisions for ensuring the safety and security of
children in schools and fixing the accountability of various stakeholders and different
departments.
The guidelines aim to foster collaboration among stakeholders for a safe school
environment, raise awareness of existing safety policies, clarify roles in implementation, assignaccountability for child safety during school activities and transportation, and enforce a strict
„Zero Tolerance Policy‟ against negligence.
The NDMA guidelines provide for monitoring of implementation of the National
Disaster Management Guidelines on School Safety Policy on designated activities like
conducting safety audits, annual mock drills, installation of fire-extinguishers, training of
students and teachers in school safety and disaster preparedness, adherence to safety norms with
respect to storage of inflammable and toxic material and grant of recognition certificate only to
those schools that comply with structural safety norms specifically pertain to fire safety.
*****