Rajasthan's School Infrastructure Crisis: Over 56% of Rooms Found Unsafe or in Ruins
A comprehensive technical audit conducted by the Rajasthan government has exposed a severe infrastructure crisis in the state's education system, revealing that over 56 percent of all rooms in government schools are either dilapidated and unusable or require major repair work. This alarming finding comes months after tragic incidents that highlighted the dire state of school buildings across the state.
The Shocking Audit Numbers
According to the audit conducted through district collectors, Rajasthan has 65,308 government schools with a total of 5,40,126 rooms. The audit revealed that:
- 3,768 schools are entirely dilapidated and declared unsafe for use
- 2,36,441 rooms are safe and usable
- 83,783 rooms are entirely dilapidated and unsafe for use
- 2,19,902 rooms require major repair work
The sanitation facilities also show concerning statistics, with 39,278 toilets usable, 16,765 dilapidated and unusable, and 29,753 requiring repair work.
The Tragic Incidents That Triggered the Audit
The technical audit was preceded by a preliminary audit and was conducted following two tragic incidents that shook the state's education system. On July 25 last year, the roof of a government school in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district caved in, killing seven students and leaving eight injured. This devastating incident prompted immediate government action, including a probe and the suspension of five government teachers.
Within days of this tragedy, another incident occurred in Jaisalmer where a student died and two others were injured when the main gate of a school collapsed on them. These back-to-back tragedies highlighted the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of school infrastructure across the state.
Government Response and Action Plan
In the aftermath of the Jhalawar incident, Education Minister Madan Dilawar ordered a thorough survey of schools through district collectors. The instructions were clear: buildings found to be dilapidated should be marked for demolition, and alternative arrangements should be made for holding classes.
The government implemented several measures to address the crisis:
- GIS-based app integration to link all dilapidated and repairable buildings
- Establishment of a special cell to check construction quality
- Utilization of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) for repair work on 20,383 schools damaged by floods and heavy rainfall
Judicial Intervention and Implementation Challenges
The Rajasthan High Court took suo motu cognisance of the matter and restrained the state government from using dilapidated school buildings and rooms until further orders. This judicial intervention added urgency to the government's response efforts.
However, implementation has faced significant challenges:
- Of the 3,768 schools identified as entirely dilapidated, district committees have declared 2,558 schools as dilapidated
- Only 1,129 schools have been razed so far
- Proposals for new construction have been received for 2,248 schools, but approvals have been granted in only 123 cases
- For the 45,365 schools requiring major repair work, approval has been granted in only 4,187 cases
The Education Department has sanctioned over Rs 174 crore for repair work, but the pace of implementation remains a concern.
Political Context and Legislative Scrutiny
The audit findings were presented in response to a question asked by Kota South BJP MLA Sandeep Sharma in the Rajasthan Assembly. The technical audit confirmed similar figures to the preliminary audit conducted earlier, providing consistent data about the scale of the infrastructure crisis.
The Bhajan Lal Sharma government has faced increasing pressure to address this critical issue, particularly after the tragic loss of young lives. The audit represents the most comprehensive assessment of school infrastructure in Rajasthan's history and serves as a wake-up call for urgent action.
As Rajasthan grapples with this education infrastructure emergency, the focus remains on ensuring student safety while developing sustainable solutions for rebuilding and repairing the state's crumbling school buildings. The audit findings underscore the need for accelerated action, adequate funding, and transparent implementation to prevent future tragedies and provide safe learning environments for Rajasthan's students.
