Delhi govt plans 50 new school buildings to maintain student-classroom ratio

The Delhi government has set a target to construct around 50 new school buildings and 8,000 additional classrooms across the national capital in 2026-27, a senior official said.

The initiative aims to maintain a balanced student-classroom ratio across zones and provide a more spacious and conducive learning environment, the official said.

The education department is also conducting audits of existing school buildings to identify those in a dilapidated condition and in need of urgent improvement.

“We have directed district officials to compile data on schools that are deteriorating or lack basic infrastructure facilities,” a source in the department said.

In collaboration with the Ladli Foundation NGO, the government has set up 101 Information and Communication Technology (ICT) labs, each equipped with 20 computers. Tenders for 7,000 smart blackboards have been finalised.

Over the next four years, smart boards will be installed in 21,000 classrooms for students of Classes 9 to 12, with a five-year maintenance guarantee, the official said.

He said that tenders have also been issued for the procurement of 7,000 computers for 175 ICT laboratories, and the delivery is expected before March 31.

Delhi has more than 1,000 government schools, and the government plans to ensure that every such school has an ICT lab within the next three years, the official added.

More than 100 digital libraries are also being established in government schools across the city this year, he said.

Last year, the Delhi government sanctioned Rs 900 crore to convert 18,966 classrooms in government schools into smart classrooms. The initiative included the installation of interactive panels, audio-visual aids and smart blackboards as part of regular teaching practices.

In the first phase, around 2,000 classrooms will be upgraded with interactive panels or projectors, audio-visual aids and internet connectivity to make learning more engaging and effective.

An allocation of Rs 100 crore was proposed for the scheme in the 2025-26 financial year.

Delhi has around 1,075 government schools with approximately 8,24,225 students enrolled.