Last Updated:August 07, 2026, 12:56 IST

According to a NITI Aayog, around 1.19 lakh schools still do not have functional electricity; 98,592 schools lack functional girls’ toilets, and 61,540 do not have usable toilets.

Only 5.67% of schools in India currently provide education from Class 1 to Class 12 in the same institution. (Image: Pexels)

A startling incident from Odisha’s Nabarangpur district has drawn attention to the condition of government-run residential schools after more than 180 students walked nearly 12 kilometres to their villages after leaving their hostel. Students of Sanatemera High School Hostel in Jharigaon block alleged that the food served at the hostel was of inferior quality and alleged that essential facilities were missing. They also complained about overcrowded living arrangements, saying the hostel did not have enough rooms to accommodate all students.

Frustrated with the situation, the students left the hostel together and began walking towards their homes, located around 12 kilometres away, reported Times Now. The protest drew the attention of local residents and parents, several of whom joined the students and took their children back home.

However, headmistress Rajalakshmi Maharana denied most of the allegations. She said the primary issue raised by students was the shortage of hostel rooms caused by limited space. According to her, the school administration had repeatedly sought approval for additional hostel accommodation.

She also rejected claims that rotten rice was being served, stating that some complaints raised during the protest were unrelated to the main issue. The headmistress said the administration would speak with the students and attempt to bring them back to the hostel.

The incident has intensified scrutiny over the management and infrastructure of government residential hostels in Odisha.

MP Students Jump From Dam to Reach School

In another recent case, students from Kakraua village in Madhya Pradesh’s Vidisha district were forced to take a dangerous route to attend school, walking across exposed concrete pillars of a check dam on the Betwa river.

A video showing children carefully jumping across gaps between the pillars went viral on social media, sparking concerns over student safety and inadequate local infrastructure.

Kakraua village has a school only up to Class 8, while the nearest school offering education up to Class 10 is located about 13 kilometres away by road. To avoid the long commute, nine students — including five girls studying in Class 9 — used the risky shortcut across the check dam, reducing their daily journey to around 1.5 kilometres.

The crossing requires students to walk across a series of concrete pillars placed approximately three to four feet apart. They reportedly have to jump across nearly 10 pillars during each trip.

Villagers said the route becomes especially dangerous during the monsoon, when the pillars become slippery and the river current becomes stronger.

Following widespread public concern over the viral video, authorities in Vidisha upgraded a middle school into a high school to accommodate the students.

According to the Ministry of Education, only 5.67% of schools in India currently provide education from Class 1 to Class 12 in the same institution. Out of the 14,66,682 schools, only 83,185 schools offer schooling from the primary level up to senior secondary level.

Maharashtra Children Walk Across Dam to Reach School

Meanwhile, last year, in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, children from Walda village were seen crossing the fast-flowing Rakhadi river by walking over a dam due to the absence of a bridge. The students, from Nakarpada and Jugre Pada villages in Wada taluka, walked nearly two kilometres through the dangerous route, often holding each other’s hands while crossing the dam, reported NDTV. The alternative road route requires them to travel around five kilometres each way, making the river crossing a shorter but highly risky option. The demand for a bridge over the river has reportedly remained pending for years.

Uttarakhand Students Use River Trolley to Reach School

A video from Munsiyari village in Uttarakhand has also highlighted the challenges faced by students in remote areas. The footage shows Class 9 students using a manual trolley system to cross a river to reach school. The students can be seen pulling themselves across the river using a rope, managing the crossing without adult assistance.

Infrastructure Gaps Continue to Affect School Education

According to the NITI Aayog report titled “School Education System in India: Temporal Analysis and Policy Roadmap for Quality Enhancement”, India has one of the world’s largest school networks, with 14.71 lakh schools serving more than 24.69 crore students.

However, the report highlighted persistent infrastructure weaknesses affecting education quality and continuity.

It stated that around 1.19 lakh schools across India still do not have functional electricity. Nearly 98,592 schools lack functional girls’ toilets, while 61,540 schools do not have usable toilets at all. The report also noted that 14,505 schools do not have access to water supply, and 59,829 schools lack handwashing facilities.

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