IAS/UPSC Coaching Institute  

30 Jul 2025 : Deaths in school

Editorial 2: ​​Deaths in school

Context

The condition of infrastructure in public schools demands prompt attention.

 

Introduction

The tragic school building collapse in Rajasthan’s Jhalawar district has exposed the critical neglect of infrastructurein India’s government schools. Despite policy promises and budget allocations, safety and basic facilities remain overlooked, especially for marginalised students. With over 70,000 government schools in Rajasthan alone, the incident is a stark reminder of the need for urgent systemic reform.

 

Rajasthan School Tragedy: A Grim Reminder of Neglected Infrastructure

  • On July 25, 2025, a portion of the Piplodi Government School building in Jhalawar district, Rajasthan, collapsed during morning prayer.
  • The accident resulted in the death of seven students and injuries to several others, mostly from tribal communities.
  • The next day, a similar collapse occurred in Nagaur district, but there were no casualties as it was a school holiday.
  • The school in Jhalawar had not been flagged as being in poor condition, revealing deep flaws in safety assessments.
  • The tragedy sparked widespread public anger, putting a spotlight on the dismal state of government school infrastructure.

 

Scale of the Problem: Systemic Neglect of Government Schools

  • Rajasthan has over 70,000 government schools, educating nearly 84 lakh students, mostly from marginalised and poor backgrounds (UDISE 2023–24).
  • The State’s Education Department has identified nearly 8,000 schools as being in poor structural condition.
  • However, incidents like the Jhalawar collapse suggest many more may be unsafe, despite not being listed.
  • Although the government allocated ₹650 crore over two budgets for infrastructure improvement, bureaucratic inefficiencies have blunted the impact.
  • The current BJP-led State government must now prioritise structural safety and upgrades in public schools.

 

Policy Gaps: NEP Goals vs Ground Reality

  • The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had proposed raising education spending from 4.6% to 6% of GDP, with infrastructure upgrades marked as an urgent need.
  • Five years on, there is little evidence that these recommendations have been implemented meaningfully.
  • Policy attention has largely shifted towards self-financing, privatisation, and reducing government support, which may suit higher education but not basic schooling.
  • Globally, primary education remains a government responsibility — even in developed nations.
  • Initiatives like model schools are important but should not come at the cost of mass school education.

 

Reforms Needed: Back to Basics

  • Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) is critical to India’s future workforce productivity and demographic dividend.
  • Yet, most discourse today focuses on pedagogical reforms and non-formal learning methods, ignoring infrastructure and staffing.
  • For meaningful improvement, governments must focus on:
    • Upgrading unsafe infrastructure
    • Hiring and training qualified teachers
    • Ensuring implementation of NEP recommendations
  • The Rajasthan incident must serve as a nationwide wake-up call — school safety is not optional; it is foundational.

 

Conclusion

The Rajasthan tragedy must spark a national awakening. As India aims to harness its demographic dividend, the focus must return to essential public education — not just pedagogy and digital innovation, but also infrastructure and staffing. The NEP 2020’s goals cannot be met without public investment in basic education. Safe, functional schools are the foundation of a productive and equitable future.