Lack of transparency in spending, weak infrastructure, safety concerns: NCERT report highlights issues in KGBV schools

Lack of transparency in the utilisation of funds, weak infrastructure, shortage of teachers, low salaries, and concerns over student safety are among the challenges identified in an evaluation of 254 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The NCERT has submitted the report to the Ministry of Education (MoE). 

This is the third such evaluation carried out since 2007. The second evaluation was carried out in 2013. 

KGBVs are residential schools for girls that were set up by the Union government in 2004. Students belong predominantly to the Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and minority communities in educationally backward blocks where female rural literacy is below the national average and the gender gap in literacy is above the national average.

Of the 5,639 approved KGBVs, the report found 4,260 were fully functional, 799 were partially functional, and 580 were completely non-functional as on June 30, 2023. 

A greater percentage of non-functional KGBVs are in Bihar (132), Andhra Pradesh (88), Jammu & Kashmir (84), Uttar Pradesh (78), and Odisha (76). Bihar and Andhra Pradesh, along with J&K, account for more than half the number of non-functional schools.

“Non-completion of construction work, land issues with other departments, delays in process of selection of sites, approval of funds, delays in seeking approval of posts of teachers and other staff are some reasons for non-functionality,” the report stated. 

In all, 6,88,013 girls were enrolled from Classes 6 to 12 in 5,035 KGBVs. The study of an indicative sample of 254 KGBVs showed there was a shortage of regular and full-time teaching and administrative staff. “Retention of staff is a major challenge due to low wages, insecurity of job, remote and isolated locations of KGBVs,” the report said. 

Of the 5,035 KGBVs, 2,735 were functional schools with hostels, and 2,300 were standalone hostels. Currently, there are KGBV hostels where schooling is not available. Students and parents have said schooling should be provided within hostels for Classes 6 to 12. However, “It is recommended that slowly and gradually there should be only KGBVs with stand-alone hostels and students must go to nearby State school for studies in inclusive environment,” the report said.

Around 44%, or almost half, of the teachers said they had less than five years of experience in KGBVs, indicating low teacher retention. Approximately one-fourth of the teachers have six to 10 years of experience in KGBVs, and another fourth have 10–15 years of experience. Only 3% of teachers had over 15 years of experience in KGBVs, suggesting the more experienced teachers quit KGBVs to find jobs elsewhere. 

Despite being residential schools, the report found almost 58% of teachers were not staying on campus and commuted long distances to far-flung locations, while 38% teachers said they lived on campus. 

Wardens, who also connect the district and block administrations with the KGBVs, were available only in two-thirds (170) of the KGBVs. “In rest of the schools, the responsibility was owned by teachers, special officers, assistant wardens, caretakers and accountants,” the report said. 

Wardens reported they were not permitted to stay with their husbands or other family members in the KGBV premises. Several wardens left their positions within the first five years of their service.

Two-third girls (65.6%) did not respond to the question on safety and security, one-third responded that they were not safe, and less than 1% said they were safe. “8.1 per cent said that they are stressed, 10.6 per cent sad, 6.1 per cent anxious, 14.6 per cent felt mood swings, depression, 2.4 per cent and 3.7 per cent felt fearful,” according to the report. 

Only 19% (44) teachers are full-time regular staff in KGBVs; the majority (623) are contractual positions; 70 teachers were working on deputation. “This affects the academic standards in these schools committed to provide quality education,” the report noted.

The allocation and utilisation of funds at the all-India level during the period 2018-19 to 2021-22 showed that in 2019-20, an amount of ₹4,443.13 crore was allocated to the States for the KGBVs, against which only ₹32.57 crore could be utilised. The non-utilisation of 67.43% of funds needs to be probed further.

The year 2021-22, the latest year for which information is available, has had the lowest allocation of ₹2,466.57 crore, of which 76% could be utilised.

“The main issue of concern is the late release of funds by the MoE to the States for the KBGVs and inadequate funds made available to the States for the KBGVs. Often there has been a delay in the disbursement of funds at the State level, which varies from 6 days to 45 days, resulting in under utilisation of funds. There is a dire need to have developed a flawless system to ensure the timely release of funds at all levels,” the report said.

“One of the reasons for the delay is the late release of matching grants by the States and late submission of the Utilisation Certificates, because of which the release of the grants from the MoE to the State often got delayed,” it further said. 

While, 84.3% of respondents said they had beds and bedding, in many cases, two to three girls shared a cot, and in some hostel-only KGBVs, three to four secondary class students stayed in one room. In some places, including Ladakh, a better heating system was needed to keep the dormitory warm, especially during evenings and nights.

In 210 KGBVs, free sanitary napkins were provided, and 125 of them had sanitary napkin vending machines, of which 107 were functional.

Most of the KGBVs (212) had boundary walls or fencing but either the height was very low or there was a boundary wall in the front with an iron gate, but there was no boundary wall or just a broken wall to the rear of the building. In the 219 KGBVs visited by the survey, there were CCTV cameras installed at the entrance gate and in other areas; the safety pledge was displayed in 203 campuses; and 214 had a complaint box installed.

The report pointed out that the 2001 Census data, based on which the criteria for economically backward blocks in which KGBVs are opened has been determined, is outdated. 

“It is suggested to open KGBVs in unserved areas including blocks in aspirational districts and in the North-Eastern states such as Mizoram and Nagaland,” the report said. 

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