After the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) across India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the government is committed to providing school education to every section of the society in accordance with the National Education Policy.
“We are committed to providing school education to every section of the society in accordance with the National Education Policy. In this regard, our government has approved 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country. This will expand residential and quality school education on a large scale,” PM Modi posted on X.
On Friday, the Union Cabinet approved the establishment of 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in districts that are currently not covered by the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme.
According to Government of India this initiative is with the aim,”to provide good quality modern education-including a strong component of culture, inculcation of values, awareness of the environment, adventure activities and physical education- to the talented children predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.”
The total estimated requirement of funds for the establishment of the 28 NVs is Rs. 2359.82 crore spread over a period of five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29. This includes capital expenditure component of Rs. 1944.19 crore and an operational expenditure of Rs. 415.63 crore.
The administrative structure for implementing the project will require the creation of posts at par with the norms fixed by the Samiti for running of one full-fledged NV with a capacity of 560 students. Hence, 560 x 28 = 15680 students would benefit.
“As per norms in vogue, a full-fledged NV provides employment to 47 persons and accordingly, approved 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas will provide direct permanent employment to 1316 individualism,” Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) stated.
Construction and allied activities for creating the school infrastructure are likely to generate employment opportunities for many skilled and unskilled workers.
Due to its residential nature, each Navodaya Vidyalaya will generate opportunities to local vendors for supply of essential commodities such as food, consumables, furniture, teaching material etc. and for local service providers such as barber, tailor cobbler, manpower for housekeeping and security services etc.
The NVs are fully residential, co-educational schools providing good quality modern education from Class VI to XII to the talented children, predominantly from the rural areas without regard to their family’s socio-economic condition.
Admissions to these schools are done on the basis of a Selection Test. Approx. 49,640 students are admitted in NVs to class VI every year.
As on date, there are 661 sanctioned NVs across the country [including 2nd NVs in 20 districts having a large concentration of SC/ST population and 3 special NVs]. Out of these, 653 NVs are functional.
In pursuance of the National Education Policy 2020, almost all Navodaya Vidyalayas have been designated as PM Shri schools, showcasing the implementation of NEP 2020 and acting as exemplary Schools for others.
The scheme is well appreciated and there has been a steady increase in the number of students applying for admission to class VI in NVs every year.
In recent years, Navodaya Vidyalayas have witnessed increasing enrolment of girls (42 per cent), as well as SC (24 per cent), ST (20 per cent) and OBC (39 per cent) children, thereby ensuring that quality education is accessible to all.
The performance of the students of the Navodaya Vidyalayas in the board examinations conducted by CBSE has consistently been the best among all educational systems. (ANI)
