Lok Sabha Question No. 1343 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-19
Subject: Instructions for Schools from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
Ministry: Education
Asked by: C.N. Annadurai, Gautham Sigamani Pon, Gajanan Chandrakant Kirtikar, Dhanush M Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1343 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.09.2020

## Instructions for Schools from National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)

1343. SHRI C.N. ANNADURAI:

SHRI GAUTHAM SIGAMANI PON:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI DHANUSH M. KUMAR:

Will  the  Minister  of  EDUCATION be  pleased  to  state:

- (a) whether the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has formulated guidelines for      schools  which  envisages  fire  prevention  and  fire  safety  measures  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (b) the number of Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas which are adhering to the guidelines issued by NDMA;
- (c) whether it is a fact that most of the Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas do not have adequate fire safety measures in their buildings and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (d)  whether  the  Government  has  issued  any  guidelines  to  State  Governments  to  take immediate  steps to provide adequate fire safety measures  in all schools/colleges/ Universities in the country and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e)  the  other  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  prevent  fire  accidents  and  ensure  safety  of students?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) : National Disaster Management Guidelines on School Safety Policy have been formulated  by  National  Disaster  Management  Authority  (NDMA)    in  2016.    It  covers various aspects related to the safety and security of school children including infrastructure  which  includes  physical  structures  of  school  building,  electrical  and  fire safety  mechanism,  safety  audits  in  schools  including  fire  safety  and  clearance  by  fire authority  etc.  Para  3.3.2  of  Chapter  3  of  NDMA  Guidelines  on  School  Safety  Policy include guidelines regarding prevention of fire and fire safety measures to be undertaken by  all  schools.  These  guidelines  envisage  that  fire  prevention  and  fire  safety  measures should be part of initial school design and also require regular maintenance and testing.

(b) & (c) :   1227  Kendriya  Vidyalayas  (KVs)  and  645  Jawahar  Navodaya  Vidyalayas (JNVs) are adhering to the guidelines issued by NDMA. All functional KVs and JNVs have adequate fire safety measures in their buildings.

(d) & (e):  The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education has issued detailed guidelines to all States and UTs regarding safety and security of children in October, 2014 and the same had been reiterated in 2017 consequent upon formulation of school safety guidelines by the NDMA.  Further,  this  Department  has  issued instructions to all States and UTs on 10.12.2018 and 21.01.2020 regarding measures to be undertaken  for  disaster  preparedness,  including  mock  drills  and  visit  of  fire  fighters  to schools for demonstration exercises and lectures.

The  University  Grants  Commission  has  also  framed  guidelines  on  safety  of students, on and off the campuses of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs). Under these guidelines, the HEIs should install a fire safety system under which mechanisms for the detection of a fire, the warning resulting from a fire and standard operating procedures for control  of  the  fire  are  evolved.  Students  and  staff  should  be  trained  in  the  effective operation of fire fighting devices. Mock drills for fire situation should also be undertaken at least once in a semester.

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