Lok Sabha Question No. 91 (STARRED), answered on 2024-12-02
Subject: New Safety Guidelines for Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Biplab Kumar Deb, Shri Naba Charan Majhi

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

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 91 ANSWERED ON 02.12.2024

## New Safety Guidelines for Schools

- *91. Shri Biplab Kumar Deb:

Shri Naba Charan Majhi:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  aims  and  objectives  of  the  new  guidelines  for  ensuring  safety  of  students  in  both Government and private schools;
- (b) the details of the safety concerns to be addressed by the guidelines; and
- (c) whether the Government has issued any directions to the State Governments to implement the guidelines?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (c) A Statement is laid on the table of the House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 91 FOR 02.12.2024 ASKED BY HON'BLE MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT SHRI BIPLAB KUMAR DEB AND SHRI NABA CHARAN MAJHI REGARDING NEW SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR SCHOOLS

- (a) to (c): Government  of  India  has  issued  various  guidelines  from  time  to  time  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. 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-ofchildren-in-schools-sep-2021-2465-kb.pdf

3. Guidelines on School Safety Policy by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued on 27.02.2017. These guidelines are available at the link: https://dsel.education.gov.in/sites/default/files/rte/Guidelines\_feb.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.  DoSEL  guidelines  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. 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.

The  guidelines  aim  to  foster  collaboration  among  stakeholders  for  a  safe  school environment, raise awareness of existing safety policies, clarify roles in implementation, assign accountability for child safety during school activities and transportation, and enforce a strict 'Zero Tolerance Policy' against negligence.

DoSEL's guidelines on School Safety and Security are to be read with National Disaster Management  Authority's  (NDMA)  National  Disaster  Management  Guidelines  on  School Safety  Policy  which  are  statutory  in  nature  and  are  required  to  be  complied  without  any deviation.

The  NDMA  guidelines  provide  for  monitoring  of  implementation  of  the  National Disaster  Management  Guidelines  on  School  Safety  Policy  on  designated  activities  like conducting  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.

DoSEL on 22.08.2024 reiterated States/UTs to implement the Guidelines on School Safety and Security in spirit to ensure the safety and security of children in schools.

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