Girls’ Hostel Scheme in Educationally Backward Blocks

Background

This is a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2008-09 and is being implemented from 2009-10 to set up a 100-bedded Girls’ Hostel in each of 3479 Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) in the country. The Scheme has replaced the earlier NGO driven Scheme for construction and running of Girls’ Hostels for Students of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools, under which assistance was provided to voluntary organisations for running Girls’ Hostels.

Objective

The main objective of the Scheme is to retain the girl child in secondary school so that girl students are not denied the opportunity to continue their study due to distance to school, parents’ financial affordability and other connected societal factors. Another objective of the Scheme is to make Secondary and Senior Secondary education accessible to a larger number of girl students.

Eligibility

• The girl students in the age group of 14-18 yrs. studying in classes IX and XII belonging to SC, ST, OBC, Minority communities and BPL families.
• Students passing out of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) will be given preference in admission in hostels.
• At least 50% of girls admitted will be from SC, ST, OBC and Minority communities.

Financial norms

Strategy for Construction of Hostels/Schools

It is proposed to construct one hostel with the capacity of 100 girls in each of the 3500 educational backward blocks. Wherever there is space in KGBV compound, the hostels would preferably be constructed there. Such hostels would be under the administrative control of concerned KGBV. Students passing out of KGBV will be given preference in admission in hostel. In case, there i s no spare space in the KGBV compound or in the blocks where no KGBV has been sanctioned, the hostel may be constructed in the compound of a secondary/ higher secondary school selected by the State/UT Government. The hostel will be under the administrative control of the Headmaster / Principal of concerned school. However, students of neighbouring schools will also be eligible for staying in the hostel.

The minimum living space available to each inmate should be 40 sq. feet excluding kitchen, toilet and other common space. The buildings will be designed as earthquake resilient and will be fitted with basic fire safety equipments. Efforts will also be made t o design the buildings with provision for solar energy generation, use of solar cooker and biogas.

Source : Ministry of MHRD