New Delhi, Dec 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reaffirmed the Centre's commitment to providing quality school education to every section of society, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP).

On Friday, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by PM Modi, approved the establishment of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) and 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in uncovered districts under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme.

Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, "Our government has taken another big decision to make school education as accessible as possible. Under this, 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas will be opened across the country. While this step will benefit a large number of students, it will also create many new employment opportunities."

In another post, he stated, "We are committed to providing school education to every section of society in accordance with the National Education Policy. In this regard, our government has approved 28 new Navodaya Vidyalayas across the country. This will expand residential and quality school education on a large scale."

The total estimated cost for establishing the 85 KVs, along with expanding one existing KV, is approximately Rs 5,872.08 crore over eight years from 2025 to 26. This includes Rs 2,862.71 crore for capital expenditure and Rs 3,009.37 crore for operational costs.

Currently, there are 1,256 functional Kendriya Vidyalayas, including three overseas (in Moscow, Kathmandu, and Tehran), catering to approximately 13.56 lakh students. With the establishment of 85 new KVs, about 82,560 additional students will benefit.

In line with the NEP 2020, most Kendriya Vidyalayas have been designated as PM Shri Schools, serving as exemplary institutions showcasing the policy's implementation.

The Ministry of Education highlighted the increasing demand for KV admissions annually and noted the consistent excellence of KV students in CBSE Board exams, outperforming other educational systems.

Meanwhile, for the 28 NVs, the government has allocated Rs 2,359.82 crore over five years (2024-25 to 2028-29), with Rs 1,944.19 crore earmarked for capital expenditure and Rs 415.63 crore for operational costs.

The NVs are entirely residential, co-educational institutions that offer high-quality modern education for students from Class VI to XII, specifically aimed at gifted children, mainly from rural backgrounds, regardless of their family's economic status. Admissions to these schools are based on a Selection Test, with approximately 49,640 students being enrolled in Class VI each year.

As of now, there are a total of 661 sanctioned NVs throughout the country, which includes 2nd NVs in 20 districts with a high concentration of SC/ST populations and three special NVs. Out of these, 653 NVs are currently operational.

--IANS
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