The Rajasthan government has admitted that about 611 schools in the state lack proper buildings, a revelation that follows an incident where inspectors were attacked while visiting a school reportedly operating in a cowshed. This admission, shared in response to opposition queries, also highlights that many schools are missing essential facilities like toilets and drinking water. While significant funds are being allocated for repairs and new constructions, the opposition has questioned the accuracy of the government's claims, pointing to previous audits that indicated a much larger number of dilapidated and unsafe school buildings, potentially impacting student enrollment.

The Rajasthan government has admitted that about 611 schools in the state lack proper buildings, a revelation that follows an incident where inspectors were attacked while visiting a school reportedly operating in a cowshed. This admission, shared in response to opposition queries, also highlights that many schools are missing essential facilities like toilets and drinking water. While significant funds are being allocated for repairs and new constructions, the opposition has questioned the accuracy of the government's claims, pointing to previous audits that indicated a much larger number of dilapidated and unsafe school buildings, potentially impacting student enrollment.

The Rajasthan government has admitted that about 611 schools in the state lack proper buildings, a revelation that follows an incident where inspectors were attacked while visiting a school reportedly operating in a cowshed. This admission, shared in response to opposition queries, also highlights that many schools are missing essential facilities like toilets and drinking water. While significant funds are being allocated for repairs and new constructions, the opposition has questioned the accuracy of the government's claims, pointing to previous audits that indicated a much larger number of dilapidated and unsafe school buildings, potentially impacting student enrollment.

A day after Cockroach Janta Party spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka and his team were attacked during a school inspection drive at a village in Rajasthan, the state government admitted that about 611 schools in the state lack buildings.

On Friday, Ranka and his team went to inspect a government school in Bagru near Jaipur as Part of their 'School Thik Karo' campaign.

They alleged that the school was being run in a cowshed amid buffalo dung and fodder. The students were reportedly moved to the cowshed after their school building was declared to be unsafe and access to it was banned.

The CJP members were beaten and chased by the locals after they arrived.

On Saturday, the Rajasthan state government admitted that a large number of schools are run without even having buildings.

Out of the total 64,484 government schools in the state, 20,247 lack toilets and 1,049 reportedly lack drinking water, Jansatta reported.

The Rajasthan government released the data as a response to queries by the the state’s leader of the opposition, Teeka Ramjuli.

According to the data from the Unified District Information System for Education 25-26 under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, out of the 611 schools without buildings, 10 are girls’ schools.

The highest number of schools without buildings, 23, are in Jhalawar’s Aklera block.

Meanwhile, Khanpur has 16, and Jhalarapatan has 11. Phalodi has 11, and Chhotisarwan in Banswara has 10. Of the girls' schools, two each are in Jaipur and Alwar, and one each in Barmer, Churu, Dungarpur, Karauli, Kota, and Rajsamand.

Along with the data, the government also said that tat Rs 550 crore is being spent on school repairs and renovations. ₹450 crore has been allocated for constructing new buildings for schools without buildings or those operating in dilapidated buildings.

They also said that the School Education Department would provide ₹2,500 crore annually and Rs 12,500 crore over five years for the new construction, repair, and maintenance of dilapidated school buildings from primary to higher secondary levels.

The amount is being raised by the the District Mineral Foundation Trust, Samagra Shiksha, state funds, VB-G Ram-G, MP-MLA Local Area Development Fund, SDRF, and CSR.

Ranjuli, however, questioned the claims, citing an audit last year which said that about 3,768 government schools in the state have been declared completely dilapidated and unsafe for use. He said that the dilapidated conditions have affected enrolment.

He also said that 83,783 classrooms are completely dilapidated and unsafe.

Meanwhile, CJP spokesperson Ranka took to X to say that repair work has already begun at a school in Jodhawas, Thanagaji, Rajasthan, after their visit.

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