Cabinet approves opening of 13 new Kendriya Vidyalayas in 7 states

New Delhi: The Cabinet has approved the opening of 13 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVS) in seven states and the opening of second Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Madhya Pradesh. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal.

These 13 schools will be set up in Banda (Uttar Pradesh), Washim (Maharashtra), Chakpikarong (Manipur), Parbhani (Maharashtra), Nawada (Bihar), Mirjapur (Uttar Pradesh), Bhadohi (Uttar Pradesh), Palamau (Jharkhand), Siddipet (Telangana), Kudamalakunte, (Karnataka), CISF Surajpur (Uttar Pradesh), Devkund (Bihar) and Baoli (Uttar Pradesh).

The CCEA also approved the establishment of an additional JawaharNavodayaVidyalaya (JNV) at Alot in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district. Ratlam has a high percentage of SC and ST population and there is a huge demand for establishing an additional JNV in that district. Moreover, the state government has also shown readiness to earmark the required extent of land and temporary accommodation for setting up the Vidyalaya.

At present, the KVs are imparting quality education to more than 12 lakh students and JNVs are providing modern education free of cost to nearly 2.50 lakh students in different parts of the country. With the opening of these 13 new KVS, about 13000 more eligible categories of students will be able to access affordable quality education and an additional 560 students will be benefitted from the second JNV at Alot once it becomes fully functional from Class VI to XII.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs had at its meeting held in March 2017 approved a proposal for setting up of 50 new KendriyaVidyalayas (KVS) under civil/defence sector in the country under 'Challenge Method' at an estimated outlay of Rs 1160 crore. 

These new KVS were to be opened only in those locations where the sponsoring authorities come forward and offer land as well as provide temporary accommodation as per norms of KVS, on 'first come first served' basis and the sanctions were to be utilised accordingly.

In pursuance of this approval, KVS has so far issued administrative orders for the opening of 37 new KVS consequent upon, the sponsoring authorities fulfilling the requisite norms.

Detailed guidelines for consideration of proposals under the 'Challenge Method' were issued in September 2017. Thereafter, all the remaining proposals and other new proposals received by KVS were considered by a duly constituted committee which recommended the proposals for opening of new KVs to be considered under the 'Challenge Method'. 13 proposals scoring maximum weightage points under 'Challenge Method' were recommended by the committee for being placed before the competent authority for approval.