Lok Sabha Question No. 5 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-01
Subject: Border Schools
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Gurjeet Singh Aujla

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO5

ANSWERED ON- 01/12/2025

## BORDER SCHOOLS

## 5. SHRI GURJEET SINGH AUJLA:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is considering any special educational scheme or policy for children and families residing in the zero-line/barbed wire areas along the India-Pakistan border  in  Amritsar  district  in  the  State  of  Punjab  who  live  under  constant  threat  and uncertainty due to their proximity to the international border and are affected badly during floods, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the measures taken/proposed to be taken by the Government to establish fully-equipped border schools with digital learning facilities and qualified staff in these vulnerable areas;
- (c) the details of residential schooling or transport facilities to ensure uninterrupted education during security disruptions;
- (d)  the  details  of  offer  special  scholarships,  counselling  support,  reservation  in  higher education for children from these high-risk zones, if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the details of daily exposure to a potential war-like environment, urgent intervention is necessary to protect right to education of these marginalized students effected in floods?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to (e): Education is in the Concurrent list of the Constitution and majority of the schools are  within  the  purview  of  the  respective  State  Government  and  UT  Administration.  The Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy  is  implementing  an  integrated  centrally sponsored scheme for School education- Samagra Shiksha, in all the States/UTs including Punjab.

Under Vibrant Village programme component (announced in the Union Budget 202223)  of  the  Samagra  Shiksha,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  States/UTs  for development of villages on the northern border, to improve the quality of life of people living in identified border villages. To provide specific interventions in stipulated time period, the State of Punjab has been included under Vibrant Villages Programme-II (VVP-II) starting from financial year 2024-25 to 2028-29.

As informed by the Government of Punjab, the Government is already providing midday-meal  facility,  free  books,  free  uniform,  self-defense  training,  exposure  visit,  sports facilities and many others educational activities to students of Government schools residing in the zero-line /barbed wire areas along the India-Pakistan border in Amritsar district. During recent floods many NGOs came forward to help students and distributed bags, books and track suits etc. Following the flood, the Department initiated school renovations.

Further, as informed by the State of Punjab, the government schools in the border areas  of  Amritsar  are  well-equipped  with  projectors  and  computers  as  well  as  qualified computer faculty. Under Samagra Shiksha, in Amritsar District, 188 ICT labs and 2 Smart classrooms have been approved in FY 2025-26.

As informed by the State of Punjab, in the schools which remained closed during security disruption, the classes are shifted to the nearby safe schools and places. Once the situation becomes normal, the regular classes resume, school staff systematically complete the  entire  pending  syllabus  so  that  the  academic  progress  of  the  students  remains uninterrupted despite the challenges faced in the border areas. Most of the students of these schools are residents of nearby areas, so there is no need of any residential and transport facility.

The State of Punjab has also informed that there is no special scholarship scheme for these schools' students but Government is providing scholarships through the three centrally sponsored and five State sponsored schemes. Guidance and Counseling grant is provided to these schools. Guidance and Counselor Nodal officers are also appointed to these schools.

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