Lok Sabha Question No. 1309 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-25
Subject: Fire Safety in Schools
Ministry: HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Dayakar Pasunoori, Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1309 TO BE ANSWERED ON 25.11.2019

## Fire Safety in Schools

## 1309. SHRI PASUNOORIDAYAKAR SHRI N. REDDEPPA:

Will the Minister of HUMANRESOURCE DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether it  is  a  fact  that  the  safety  of  children  has  been  compromised  in  all  manners, including lack of valid fire safety certificates by the schools and colleges in the country and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether the Government propose to de-recognise the schools which are not having fire safety certificates in future and if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken in this regard, State-wise;
- (c) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (d) the steps likely to be taken by the Government to ensure all schools and colleges have fire safety certificates within a stipulated time to ensure safety of children in future?

## A N S W E R

## MINISTER OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAMESH POKHRIYAL 'NISHANK')

(a) & (d) : No, Sir.  The Right to Education incorporates the provisions of safe schools. The  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy,  Ministry  of  Human  Resource Development  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  National  Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). The guidelines have suggested preventive institutional mechanisms and  procedures  that  should be put  in  place  in  the  schooling  system  along with the relief and redressal strategies in case of any untoward incidents in the schools.  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.

These guidelines envisage that fire prevention and fire safety measures should be part  of  initial  school  design  and  also  require  regular  maintenance  and  testing.  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.

(b) & (c): The schools affiliated to CBSE are required to follow the guidelines relating to safety of children in schools, including the following:-

- (i) The  guidelines  issued  by  the  Hon'ble  Supreme  Court  of  India  in  Writ  Petition (Civil)  No.  483  of  2004  in  the  matter  of  Avinash  Mehrotra  (Petitioner)  Versus Union of India & Others (Respondents);
- (ii) The  guidelines  on  School  Safety  Policy,  2016  issued  by  the  NDMA  which  is statutory in nature;
- (iii) Manual on Safety and security of children in schools developed by NCPCR &
- (iv) National Building Code-2005, as amended from time to time.

The  Department  of  School  Education  &  Literacy  has  also  requested  all  States  and UTs  to  sensitize  the  entire  administrative  and  monitoring  machinery  towards  effective implementation  of  the guidelines on  safety and  security of school  children;  and institutionalizing  and  ensuring  a  safe,  secure  and  vibrant  environment  in  schools  for children.

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( The Government does not intend to initiate any such action. Under Samagra Shiksha, Construction Standards for School Buildings have been specified. The  National  Building  Code  (NBC)  2016,  developed  by  the  Bureau  of  Indian Standards (BIS) provides guidelines for regulating  building construction activities across the country.  It  serves  as  a  model  code  for  adoption  by  all  agencies  involved  in  building construction works. The code should serve as a reference for all States and UTs, for design, planning,  preparation and  execution  of  school  infrastructure  components. This requirement does not preclude the use of local construction design, materials and practices.

The relevant BIS code of practice of fire safety is educational institutions is IS-14435-1997

These  guidelines  envisage  that  fire  prevention  and  fire  safety  measures  should  be  part  of initial school design and also require regular maintenance and testing. 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.