Latest news with #KendriyaVidyalayas
United News of India
a day ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Lok Sabha: SP raises issue of school closures in UP
New Delhi, July 30 (UNI) The issue of school closures and mergers in Uttar Pradesh due to low student enrollment was raised by the Samajwadi Party members in the Lok Sabha today. Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Samajwadi Party members Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel, Neeraj Maurya and Dharmendra Yadav urged the central government to intervene, saying that such measures would have serious social consequences. Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel called the policy as "discriminatory", saying, "This so-called merger policy is against Dalits, the poor, and girls.' He said that the closure of schools could lead to an increase in child labour and other grave issues affecting vulnerable communities. Patel further alleged, "While schools were being shut down, liquor shops were being opened in large numbers across the state, reflecting the administration's misplaced priorities". Echoing Patel's concerns, MPs Neeraj Maurya and Dharmendra Yadav asserted that the education system in Uttar Pradesh had collapsed under the current government. Maurya demanded the establishment of more Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalayas to ensure quality education reaches all sections of society. The MPs called on the central government to take immediate and serious action to address the issue, emphasising the need to protect the Right to Education, particularly for marginalised Vishal Prakashbapu Patil raised the issue of grape farmers in Maharashtra. Patil alleged that raisins were being illegally imported from China which were badly affecting the Indian farmers. He urged the government to check these illegal imports. UNI RBE RKM
India Today
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Kendriya Vidyalaya enrolment falls sharply, lowest in last five years
New enrolments in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) have dropped to their lowest point in five years, according to figures tabled in the Lok Sabha on shared by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in response to questions from MPs BK Parthasarathi and Sudha R revealed that fresh admissions, which stood at 1.95 lakh in 2020-21, slid to 1.83 lakh in 2021-22 and further to 1.58 lakh in 2022-23. Though the number rebounded slightly to 1.75 lakh in 2023-24, it has dipped again to just 1.39 lakh in the ongoing academic session (2024-25).advertisementThe overall student strength across the 1,280 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the country has also declined during this period — from 13.88 lakh in 2020-21 to 13.5 lakh this year. Kendriya Vidyalayas, set up primarily to serve children of transferable Central government employees, are considered among the most sought-after government-run schools in the the enrolment decline comes even as the Centre cleared the establishment of 85 new KVs in December 2023. Pradhan informed Parliament that these schools, along with the expansion of one existing KV in Shivamogga, Karnataka, will be developed at a cost of nearly ?5,872 funding for the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) has continued to grow, with allocations rising from ?6,437.68 crore in 2020-21 to ?8,727 crore in Union Education Ministry has also recently raised concerns over falling enrolments in government schools more broadly. During discussions on the PM-POSHAN (midday meal) scheme earlier this year, States and Union Territories were asked to investigate reasons behind the enrolment dip at the primary and upper-primary levels across 23 regions and to submit detailed reports.(With PTI inputs)- Ends
New Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
After uproar, 31 of 46 KVs engage Tamil teachers
CHENNAI: Teaching of Tamil in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) across the state has seen a marginal increase, at least on paper, following stringent criticisms by the MPs after it was revealed that KVs in TN did not have a single permanent Tamil teacher. As per the reply submitted in the Lok Sabha on Monday, to a question by DMK MP Kalanidhi Veerasamy, Tamil is now taught through the Tamil Virtual Academy (TVA), an autonomous body under the state government, in 40 of the 46 KVs in the state. In March, to a question by DMK MP and the party's parliamentary chairperson Kanimozhi, the centre had said only 21 of the 46 schools had this facility. The reply had led to widespread criticism as it showed that KVs in TN had 86 permanent teachers for Hindi and 65 for Sanskrit. The reply to Veerasamy also showed 31 of the 46 schools now engage teachers on a contractual basis to teach Tamil. The number was only 24 in the reply provided to Kanimozhi in March. Reiterating its stance, the Ministry of Education, in its reply, presented on Monday said KVs primarily cater to children of 'transferable central government employees from diverse linguistic backgrounds'. Therefore the medium of instruction used in these schools is Hindi and English. As 'specified category' schools, KVs are mandated to provide uniform education nationwide, with sanctioned language teaching posts only for Hindi, English and Sanskrit. However, the reply provided by Union Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary said Article 112 of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan's Education Code permitted teaching of regional languages if 15 or more students in classes 6 to 8 opt for them. In such cases, part-time contractual teachers can be engaged, the reply said.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Kendriya Vidyalayas enrolment at five-year low: Minister in Lok Sabha
The number of new students enrolled in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) fell to a five-year low in 2024-25, according to data presented by the Centre in response to a question in the Lok Sabha. New enrolments fell from 1.95 lakh in 2020-21 to 1.83 lakh in 2021-22, and 1.58 lakh in 2022-23. The number rose to 1.75 lakh in 2023-24, before falling to 1.39 lakh in 2024-25. The total number of students studying in KVs has also dropped in this period, from nearly 13.88 lakh in 2020-21 to 13.5 lakh in 2024-25, says data provided by Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan in response to a question from MPs BK Parthasarathi and Sudha R. Kendriya Vidyalayas — a total of 1,280 are functioning in the country — cater to children of central government employees who are subject to transfers. The drop in new enrolment comes even as the Centre approved the opening of 85 new KVs in December last year. Pradhan said the Centre 'has approved opening of 85 new KVs under the civil/defence sector across the country and expansion of one existing KV — Shivamogga, Karnataka— by adding two additional sections in all the classes at an estimated amount of Rs. 5,872.08 crore'. According to the data presented by Pradhan, the funds allocated to Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) have seen a steady rise over the past year, increasing from Rs 6,437.68 crore in 2020-21 to Rs 8,727 crore in 2024-25. Earlier this year, during meetings with States and Union Territories to discuss the performance, plan and budget under the PM-POSHAN (midday meal) scheme, the Ministry of Education had flagged a drop in government school enrolment at the primary and upper-primary levels across 23 States/UTs in 2024-25, and asked them to identify reasons for the drop and submit reports.
Time of India
3 days ago
- General
- Time of India
NEP@5: More learners, more women, more languages - But can it deliver on its full promise?
NEW DELHI: Foundational reading and arithmetic skills among Class III students in govt schools have recorded their strongest gains in nearly two decades, with rural learners outperforming their urban peers - indicating grassroots-level progress. In higher education, enrolment has increased by over 30.5% since 2015, with female PhD enrolment more than doubling and significant gains among SC, ST, minority and Northeast students, as the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 begins reshaping India's education system. However, five years on, the policy continues to face political resistance from some opposition-ruled states, which have raised concerns over centralisation and language. While 35 universities have begun transitioning into multidisciplinary institutions with central support, the uptake of reforms such as multiple entry-exit options remains limited - underlining both early momentum and implementation hurdles. In schools, the biggest shift has been the integration of pre-school into the '5+3+3+4 structure'. As of 2024, more than 1.1 crore children are enrolled in 'Balvatikas', up from 50 lakh in 2018. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Most Unwelcoming Countries in the World, Ranked BigGlobalTravel Undo Over 4.2 crore students across 8.9 lakh schools have participated in 'Vidya Pravesh', a 12-week play-based module for Grade 1 readiness. With 496 Kendriya Vidyalayas now offering 'Balvatikas' and 121 multilingual primers developed, early education has gained structured support. The Nipun Bharat Mission, launched in 2021 to improve foundational literacy and numeracy, is beginning to yield outcomes. ASER 2024 showed that 23.4% of Class III students in govt schools can now read a Grade II-level text - the highest since 2005 - up from 16.3% in 2022. Arithmetic scores have also improved - 27.6% of students can now perform basic subtraction, up from 20.2% in 2022. The Parakh national survey found rural students outperforming their urban counterparts in both reading and math. More than 14 lakh teachers have been trained under the Nishtha foundational programme. The 'Jaadui Pitara' - a multilingual play-based teaching kit - has been distributed in 22 Indian languages. However, just over half of govt and aided schools offer preschool, and aligning curriculum with infrastructure remains a challenge. In higher education, NEP's emphasis on flexibility is reflected in the rollout of the academic bank of credit (ABC), multiple entry-exit options and biannual admissions. As of July 2025, over 32 crore ABC IDs have been generated and 2,556 institutions onboarded. The new biannual admission cycle is expected to ease transitions and reduce dropouts. Between 2014-15 and 2022-23, higher education enrolment increased from 3.42 crore to 4.46 crore. Female enrolment increased 38.4%, from 1.57 crore to 2.18 crore. Female PhD enrolment jumped 135.6%, from 48,000 to 1.12 lakh. SC student enrolment rose by 50% and ST enrolment by 75%. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) among SCs increased from 18.9 lakh to 27.3 lakh, and among STs from 13.5 lakh to 23.5 lakh. Access also improved among minorities. Muslim student enrolment grew by 46.3%, from 15.3 lakh to 22.4 lakh, and other minorities by 61%, from 6.5 lakh to 10.5 lakh. The Northeast saw a 36% increase, with female students now slightly outnumbering males. Still, the transformation of single-discipline institutions has lagged. Though 35 universities have received Rs 100 crore each under PM-Usha, many engineering and teacher education colleges are yet to realign. Gaps in faculty development, curriculum design and infrastructure persist. While 153 universities offer multiple entry and 74 allow early exit, only about 31,000 undergraduates and 5,500 postgraduates have used these options so far - suggesting structural reforms are outpacing student uptake.
