Delhi Government To Address School Infrastructure Gaps

A recent digital profiling exercise has exposed critical infrastructure gaps in Delhi government schools, prompting the government to address these deficiencies and ensure student safety and well-being.

Shortage of drinking water taps, lack of dedicated toilets for children with special needs and inadequate classroom facilities, besides structurally unsafe buildings in 359 government schools, have been identified so far during the Delhi government's digital profiling exercise, with Education Minister Ashish Sood saying a white paper on school infrastructure will be prepared after completion of the audit.

Sood said the large-scale assessment exercise, launched earlier this year, had brought to light multiple infrastructure-related issues in schools.

Addressing Infrastructure Shortcomings in Delhi Schools

He said the government is working to strengthen monitoring and accountability mechanisms to address the shortcomings as the 360-degree digital profiling is providing a comprehensive summary of schools, and the structures and amenities they lack.

Describing the exercise as a "first attempt" towards improving school infrastructure management, he said discussions were underway to resolve the issues, and a post-audit white paper will be prepared.

The minister said students from these 359 schools have been shifted to temporary campuses as the buildings were considered "dangerous" for running schools.

He said the students will be shifted back once the infrastructure audit and repair works are completed.

"It will take around two-and-a-half months to complete the audit of all government schools, after which the required repair works will begin," he added.

Specific Deficiencies at CM SHRI School

One of the schools assessed under the exercise -- CM SHRI School at Dariyapur Kalan in northwest Delhi -- showed major deficiencies in basic facilities despite having adequate classroom capacity and sufficient toilet seats overall.

According to an "At a Glance Report" prepared by an audit agency hired by the Delhi education department, the school has 1,194 students and 56 classrooms with a seating capacity of 2,558 -- well above the prescribed requirement. The classroom-to-student ratio stood at 1:22 against the norm of 1:40.

However, the report found only five drinking water taps against a required 24, with a shortfall of 19 outlets. The school also had 62 urinals against a requirement of 120. Eleven additional dustbins and nine more chalkboards were also needed.

The assessment highlighted severe gaps in facilities for Children with Special Needs (CWSN). No dedicated CWSN toilet seats or urinals were found on the campus, despite prescribed requirements of 30 toilet seats and 60 urinals. Only four CWSN-related facilities were available against the required 30, according to the report.

Structural Safety Concerns and Remedial Actions

The infrastructure review further found that out of 13 blocks in the school, six were in good condition, six were partially dilapidated and one was under construction.

A separate structural safety assessment of the same school found that only four blocks were structurally adequate for continued use, while the remaining blocks were categorised as dilapidated and requiring repair, retrofitting or further evaluation.

The report prepared through visual inspection and non-destructive testing, recommended immediate remedial action for two classroom blocks. Photographs annexed with the report identified four blocks as dilapidated.

It said the stable blocks showed no major cracks, exposed reinforcement or structural sagging, though dampness and peeling paint were observed in some areas. The structurally safe blocks covered 124 rooms, all of which were found to be in good condition.

The report recommended waterproofing treatment, repair of damaged plaster and plumbing leakages and periodic structural inspections every three to five years.

Classroom Furniture and Facility Distribution

A classroom furniture assessment conducted at the school pointed to uneven distribution of basic facilities across classrooms.

The report found that several classrooms lacked essential items such as desks, teachers' chairs and tables, boards and dustbins. Class 1A, with 18 students, reportedly had no desks, boards, cupboards, teacher chairs or tables, cupboards or display boards.

Similarly, different sections of Class 7 had no desks and boards. Several secondary-level classrooms lacked teacher chairs and tables, it read.

The school also had limited sports and recreational facilities and only six fire extinguishers across all classrooms, the report noted.

Delhi Government's Digital Profiling Initiative

The Delhi government had launched the citywide digital profiling initiative in February for a data-driven review of school infrastructure and safety.

Under the project, all classrooms and school buildings are being digitally documented through 360-degree imaging, drone-based surveys and GIS-based mapping. Structural safety assessments using non-destructive tests such as ultrasonic pulse and rebound hammer tests are also being carried out.

According to official documents, the exercise aims to create digital profiles of 1,086 government schools functioning from 799 premises across Delhi.

Official said the collected data would help identify infrastructure gaps, prioritise repairs and support long-term planning. Buildings found structurally weak may undergo review by institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology and National Institutes of Technology, with recommendations ranging from repairs and retrofitting to demolition where necessary.