Lok Sabha Question No. 3836 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-16
Subject: Counselling Centre in Government Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Mohibbullah

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3836 ANSWERED ON 16.03.2026

## Counselling Centre in Government Schools

3836. Shri Mohibbullah:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

(a) the total number of Government and Government-aided schools having Child Guidance and Counselling Centres in the country, State/UT-wise;

(b) the number of sanctioned and filled posts of counsellors and special educators in schools and higher educational institutions;

(c)  the  number  of  schools,  UG  colleges  and  PG  colleges  certified  as  disabled-friendly, including  availability  of  ramps,  accessible  toilets,  lifts,  Braille  materials  and  assistive technologies;

(d) whether compliance audits under disability laws have been conducted by the Government, if so, the findings thereof; and

(e) the timeline and financial allocation for making all educational institutions barrier-free in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

## (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a): Education  is  a  subject  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution,  with  majority  of schools  falling  under  the  administrative  control  and  supervision  of  the  respective  State Government/Union  Territory  (UT)  administration.  On  its  part,  the  Ministry  of  Education (MoE), is guided by the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 which emphasises the need to create awareness about mental health issues, reduce academic stress, promote joyful learning and increase community engagement for optimal learning outcomes.

To this end, the Ministry supports States and UTs, based on proposals received from State/UT under  the  centrally  sponsored  scheme  of  Samagra  Shiksha,  in  strengthening  existing Government  schools  through  creation  &  augmentation  of  infrastructure  facilities  and  by providing financial assistance for activities related to career guidance, mental health and socioemotional  well-being,  self-defence  etc.  Further,  this  Ministry  has  advised  and  encouraged States/UTs to constitute dedicated committees at the district level to monitor and address the issues pertaining to mental health and overall well-being of students and to formulate their own guidelines  for  recruitments  to  facilitate  engagement  of  trained  counsellors  in  schools. Moreover, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), an autonomous body under this Ministry, has mandated the appointment of Counsellor & Wellness Teacher in every Secondary and Senior Secondary school affiliated with it in its Affiliation bye laws.

This  Ministry  also  encourages  States/UTs  to  train  and  equip  teachers  to  act  as  primary counsellors, serving as the first line of support before referring students to professional help. As per UDISE+ 2024-25, around 4.48 lakh schools have appointed teachers as a first level counsellor.

(b): With Education being in the Concurrent List of the Constitution; the recruitment of school staff, including special educators and counsellors, along with their service conditions and deployment thereof, predominantly falls within the purview of the respective States/UTs. As per UDISE+ 2024-25, 1,12,340 schools in the country have a dedicated special educator.

There are a total of 987 sanctioned posts for special educators in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs). In KVs where sanctioned post for Special educator is not available or the post is vacant, special educators are engaged on contractual basis as per norms.  Insofar as counsellors are concerned, directions have been issued to all KVs to appoint counsellors in all schools on contract basis for the time being. The number of sanctioned posts for Special Educator in NVS is 495. In Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti, there is a provision for engagement of two counsellors (one male and one female) in each Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) on contractual basis and total 830 counsellors have been engaged on contractual basis in JNVs across the country.

To ensure equitable access  to  quality  mental  health  services  to  all  the  students  enrolled  in Higher Education Institutes, the UGC has formulated "Guidelines for Promotion of Physical Fitness, Sports, Students' Health, Welfare, Psychological and Emotional Well Being at Higher Educational Institutions of India". These UGC Guidelines provide for the Students Services Centre (SSC) with atleast some dedicated, professionally trained counsellors working under its Director  or  In-Charge.  The  counsellors  can  also  be  taken  from  the  respective  institutions' Psychology and Physical Education Departments in a project-driven mode.

(c) to (e): As per UDISE+ 2024-25, out of 14.71 lakh schools, 11.64 lakh schools have ramps, 8.08 lakh schools have ramps with handrails, 5.23 lakh schools have child with special need (CwSN) - friendly toilets. Further, under Annual Work Plan and Budget (AWP&B) for Samagra  Shiksha  scheme,  approval  is  provided  for  Braille  materials,  including  large  print textbooks  for  children  with  Visual  Impairment  (VI)  and  Low  Vision,  as  well  as  assistive devices, based on the proposals submitted by the State/UT.

The  Accessibility  Code  for  Educational  Institutions  to  conduct  the  accessibility  audit  in educational institutions was notified by Department of School Education & Literacy on 12th January,  2024  and  it  was  notified  under  the  RPwD  Rules  on  20th  June,  2024.  This  Code examines the physical barriers and information & communication barriers of access to school facilities for children with disabilities. An advisory was issued on 19th January 2024 to the States/UTs for compliance and undertake the accessibility audit as per the code notified.

Financial  support  for  making  educational  institutions  barrier-free  is  provided  under  the Centrally Sponsored Schemes Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI Schools Scheme. States/UTs propose the required funds every year through the AWP&B based on the infrastructure gaps identified in schools. The proposals, including the development of CwSN-friendly infrastructure, are examined and approved by the Project Approval Board as per the guidelines of the scheme.

To  promote  inclusivity  and  accessibility  within  Higher  Education  Institutions,  UGC  has formulated the 'Accessibility Guidelines and Standards for Higher Education Institutions and Universities',  and  the  same  has  been  notified  by  the  MoE,  vide  gazette  notification  dated 19.01.2024. All the Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) have been advised to take necessary steps to ensure full compliance of these Guidelines, which contributes to inclusive education and  support  the  goals  of  NEP,  2020  by  emphasizing  inclusive  and  technology-enabled education and ensuring equity and access for all, including divyang students.

UGC has also issued an advisory to all HEIs to ensure full compliance with the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, vide UGC letter/circular dated 16.07.2024 stating that it is a collective responsibility to ensure that the educational institutions are inclusive and accessible to all students, enabling them to achieve their full potential.

Further, the UGC directed all universities and colleges to earmark ₹1 lakh from their General Development Assistance (GDA) grant for creating a barrier-free environment for students with disabilities.

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