Centre to open 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas, 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas in 2025-26

The union government plans to open 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas and 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas in the next financial year, which is estimated to cost around Rs8,232 crore over the following five years. 

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) last week (6 December 2024) approved the setting up of 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under civil/defence sector across the country and expansion of one existing KV, ie, KV Shivamogga, Karnataka by adding 2 additional divisions across all the classes.

This would involve a total estimated cost of Rs5,872.08 crore over a period of eight years from 2025-26. This includes capital expenditure of Rs2,862.71 crore and annual operational expenditure of Rs3,009.37 crore. 

The CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi also approved the setting up of 28 Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) in the uncovered districts of the country.

The 28 new Navodaya Vidyalays, to be set up under the Navodaya Vidyalaya Scheme of the central government, would involve a total expenditure of Rs2,359.82 crore, spread over a period of five years from 2024-25 to 2028-29. This includes capital expenditure of Rs1,944.19 crore and operational expenditure of Rs415.63 crore.

The 85 new Kendriya Vidyalayas, being set up under both civil and defence sectors across the country, include:

Andhra Pradesh (8) : Anakapalle (Anakapalle dist), 

Valasapalle village (Chittoor dist), Palasamudram village (Sri Satya Sai dist), Tallapalli village (Guntur dist), Nandigama (Krishna dist), Rompicherla village (Guntur dist), Nuzvid, (Krishna (now Eluru) dist),

Dhone (Nandyal dist);

Arunachal Pradesh (1): Pitapool (Lower Subansiri dist);

Assam (1): Jagiroad (Morigaon dist);

Chhattisgarh (4): Mungeli (Mungeli dist), Surajpur (Surajpur dist), Bemetara (Janjgir dist), Hasoud (Champa dist);

Gujarat (3): Chakkargarh (Amreli dist), Ognaj (Ahmedabad dist), Veraval (Gir-Somnath dist);

Himachal Pradesh (2): Riri Kuthera (Kangra dist), Gokulnagar (Una dist), Nandpur (Una dist), Thunag (Mandi dist);

Jammu & Kashmir (13): Gool (Ramban dist), Ramban (Ramban dist), Bani (Kathua dist), Ramkot (Kathua dist) Reasi (Reasi dist), Katra (Reasi dist), Ratnipora (Pulwama dist), Galander (Pulwama dist), Mughal Maidan (Kisthwar dist), Gulpur (Poonch dist), Drugmulla (Kupwara dist), Vijaypur (Samba dist), Panchari (Udhampur dist);

Jharkhand (2): Barwadih, (Latehar dist – Railway), Dhanwar Block (Giridih dist);

Karnataka (4): Mudnal Village (Yadgiri dist), Kunchiganal Village (Chitradurga dist), Elargi (D) Village (Raichur dist); and Expansion of KV Shivamogga (Shivamogga dist);

Kerala (1): Thodupuzha (Idduki dist);

Madhya Pradesh (10): Ashok Nagar (Ashok Nagar dist), Nagda (Ujjain dist), Maihar (Satna dist), Tirodi (Balaghat dist), Barghat (Seoni dist), Niwari (Niwari dist), Khajuraho (Chhatarpur dist), Jhinjhari (Katni dist), Sabalgarh (Morena dist), Narsinghgarh (Rajgarh dist), Central Academy Police Training (Bhopal, Kanhasaiya);

Maharashtra (3): Akola (Akola dist), NDRF Campus, Sudumbare (Pune dist), Nachane (Ratnagiri dist);

NCT of Delhi (1): Khajuri Khas (North East Delhi dist);

Odisha (8): Titlagarh railway (Bolangir dist), Patnagarh (Bolangir dist), ITBP Khurda (Khurda dist), Athmallik (Angul dist), Kuchinda (Sambalpur dist) Dhenkanal (Kamakhyanagar dist), Jeypore (Koraput dist),Talcher (Angul dist);

Rajasthan (9): AFS Phalodi (Jodhpur dist), BSF Satrana (Sriganganagar dist), BSF Srikaranpur (Sriganganagar dist), Hindaun City (Karauli dist), Merta City (Nagaur dist), Rajsamand (Rajsamand dist), Rajgarh (Alwar dist), Bhim (Rajsamand dist), Mahwa (Dausa dist);

Tamil Nadu (2): Theni (Theni dist), Pillaiyarpatti (Thanjavur dist);

Tripura (2): Udaipur (Gomati dist), Dharmanagar (North Tripura dist);

Uttar Pradesh (5): Payagpur (Jaunpur dist), Maharajganj (Maharajganj dist), Bijnor (Bijnor dist), Chandpur (Ayodhya dist), Kannauj (Kannauj dist);

Uttarakhand (4): Narendra Nagar (Tehri Garhwal dist), Dwarahat (Almora dist), Kotdwar (Pauri Garhwal dist), Madan Negi (Tehri Garhwal dist);

At present, there are 1,256 functional KVs, including three abroad, viz, Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran, and a nearly 1.36 million students are studying in these KVs. 

One full fledged KV will have a student capacity of approximately 960 and the setting up of 85 KVs will benefit 81,600 students. Each Kendriya Vidyalaya provides employment to 63 persons and the 85 new KVs and the expansion of one existing KV (which will add 33 new posts) will provide employment to 5,388 people directly. 

The newly sanctioned NVs statewise are as follows:

Arunachal Pradesh (7): Upper Subansiri, Kradadi, Lepa Rada, Lower Siang, Lohit, Pakke-Kessang, Shi-Yomi Siang; 

Assam (6): Sonitpur, Charaideo, Hojai, Majuli, South Salmara Manacachar, West Karbianglong;

Manipur (3): Thoubal, Kangpoki, Noney;

Karnataka (1): Bellary;

Maharashtra (1): Thane. 

Telangana (8): Jagityal, Nizamabad, Kothagudem Bhadradri, Medchal Malkajgiri, Mahabubnagar, Sangareddy, Suryapet; 

West Bengal (2): Purba Bardhaman, Jhargram.

The Scheme of Kendriya Vidyalayas, started in November 1962, provides educational facilities of uniform standard throughout the country, especially to the children of transferable central government/defence employees. It also serves children of floating population and others including those living in remote and undeveloped locations in the country. 

Navodaya Vidyalayas (NVs) are fully residential, co-educational schools providing good quality modern education from Class VI to XII to the talented children, predominantly from rural areas. Students are admitted to these schools on the basis of a selection test.

About 49,640 students are admitted to NVs to class VI every year.

There are 661 sanctioned NVs (of which 653 are functional) across the country, including a second NV in 20 districts having large concentration of SC/ST population and 3 special NVs. 

With the introduction of the National Education Policy 2020, almost all Navodaya Vidyalayas have been designated as PM Shri schools, showcasing the implementation of NEP 2020. The scheme is well appreciated and there has been steady increase in the number of students applying for admission to NVs every year.

Students of the Navodaya Vidyalayas have consistently performed as top rankers in the board examinations conducted by CBSE. They have also been excelling in various fields like engineering, medical science, armed forces, civil services etc.