The Rajasthan High Court has sharply criticised the state government for its inadequate budget allocations for repairing and upgrading government school infrastructure, calling the current provisions grossly insufficient in the face of mounting safety concerns and dilapidated buildings across the state.
The remarks were made during a hearing on a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) initiated after the tragic school building collapse in Jhalawar in July 2025, which killed seven children and injured several others — highlighting a dire need for safe educational infrastructure.
1. Court Points to Enormous Funding Gap
The division bench of Justices Mahendra Kumar Goyal and Ashok Kumar Jain pointed to stark figures presented in court:
- Experts estimate it would take around ₹20,000 crore to address the full scope of structural repair, safety upgrades and construction required for government schools statewide.
- However, the Rajasthan government’s latest budget allocates only about:
- ₹550 crore for repairs and maintenance,
- ₹450 crore for new school buildings, and
- ₹200 crore for laboratory facilities — totalling roughly ₹1,200 crore.
- The court described these allocations as “a drop in the ocean” compared to the actual needs.
The judges emphasised that safe and adequate school buildings are fundamental to educational quality and child safety, warning that continued delays and underfunding will jeopardise the future of students across Rajasthan.
2. Why the Court Took Up the Issue
The PIL stems from the 2025 collapse of a school roof in Jhalawar, which killed seven young students — a tragedy that exposed deep shortcomings in school infrastructure safety and ongoing neglect in maintenance.
In earlier proceedings, the court also noted its concerns that:
- Tens of thousands of classrooms remain unsafe or structurally compromised, and
- Previous surveys showed a high number of buildings with severe defects (locked classrooms and marked unsafe).
3. Court’s Suggestions & Monitoring Push
While criticising budget allocations, the High Court also signalled potential steps to hasten reform:
- There is consideration to form a monitoring committee to oversee transparent and efficient utilisation of funds.
- The court has even suggested the exploration of alternative funding sources, such as public donations and contributions from local representatives’ development funds, to bridge gaps.
This push for accountability and structural improvement comes amid ongoing scrutiny of school safety across the state’s rural and urban educational facilities.
4. State Government Response & Budget Context
The Rajasthan government in its latest State Budget did increase focus on school infrastructure, continuing a phased project to improve classroom safety and facilities. Earlier allocations included setting aside funds to:
- Repair select government school buildings, and
- Build new classrooms and improve sanitation.
However, critics — including the High Court — argue that these figures fall far short of the scale of the crisis. Opposition leaders have also attacked the budget’s education allocations in legislative debates, noting that thousands of school buildings remain unsafe or in need of repair.
Despite these allocations and judicial pressure, the High Court has scheduled further hearings, with the next session set for early March 2026 to review progress and responses from the government.
5. Broader Implications for Students & Infrastructure Policy
The court’s strong language underlines a wider challenge in Rajasthan’s public education system:
- Ensuring physical safety in school environments is now recognised as integral to delivering quality education.
- Delays in funding and execution of repair work carry legal and human costs, especially as basic infrastructure failures directly impact students.
- Calls from the judiciary and education stakeholders for clearer roadmaps and stronger budgetary commitments point to an urgent need for sustainable planning in school infrastructure.
