Why did Kendriya Vidyalaya schools start in India? Let’s step inside the story of these unique schools.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan translates to Central Schools Organization. It is a system of central government schools in India. The Ministry of Education governs them.
Imagine it is 1963. The government establishes Central Schools. Later, they became Kendriya Vidyalayas. The goal was to educate children of Indian Defence Services personnel. These families moved frequently to remote locations. Army Public Schools emerged. The service expanded to all central government employees.
Today, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan oversees 1253 schools in India. There are also three abroad. They are in Kathmandu, Moscow, and Tehran. These schools form one of the world’s largest chains of schools. It is the largest chain in India.
A uniform curriculum exists across all Kendriya Vidyalayas. This lessens educational disadvantages. It helps children of government employees. Their parents often transfer locations. The schools provide a common syllabus and education system. They have been operating for over 60 years.
The Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan headquarters is in New Delhi. The Minister of Education is the chairman. The Minister of State of Education is the deputy chairman. The Commissioner of KVS holds real power.
The Kendriya Vidyalaya system started with only 20 schools. Now, it has grown significantly. Over 14 lakh students attend these schools. More than 43000 employees work there. Kendriya Vidyalayas promote scouting. Nearly 2.5 lakh students are Scouts, Guides, Cubs, and Bulbuls.
The three Kendriya Vidyalayas outside India serve children of Indian embassy staff. The Ministry of External Affairs covers their costs.
These schools use English and Hindi for instruction. They are co-educational. Sanskrit is compulsory from classes VI to VIII. It is optional until class XII. Some schools offer German until class 10. Moscow offers French or Russian.
Students pay a school development fund. This money improves their school. Certain students are exempt from fees. These include students from Scheduled Castes and Tribes. Also children of KVS employees are exempt. Girls who are their parents only child from class VI onward also do not pay.
Morning assemblies feature a common prayer. It asks for the gift of knowledge. It fosters discipline and seeks divine guidance.
The organization offers various sports, games, and activities. It provides a wide range of subjects. Kendriya Vidyalaya focuses on holistic education.
Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan has received awards from the Indian government. These include the Rashtriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar. It also won the Rajbhasha Kirti Puruskar.
Kendriya Vidyalaya continues to serve students. It upholds its mission of accessible education.