The process of setting up 2,500 model schools under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode has been initiated by selection of entities. This was stated by Minister of State for Human Resource Development, Dr. Shashi Tharoor in Rajya Sabha recently. He said that, however, the estimated number of schools to be set up is dependent upon the interest shown by the private entities. The Ministry has identified 3,203 blocks in the country, which are not educationally backward.
The private entities will acquire land and then develop, design, build, finance, provide infrastructure, operate, maintain, manage and own these schools. The Government will contribute to the recurring cost on a per capita basis for the 980 select students of a maximum student strength of 2,500 per school permitted under the scheme. Besides, a sum equal to 25% of such support for each sponsored student, not exceeding an amount equal to 10% of the capital investment in the school, shall also be provided as infrastructure grant. The initial agreement for such provision of quality education would be for 10 years for each school, which is extendable by mutual consent.
The Government has decided to set up 6,000 model schools at the rate of one school per block as benchmark of excellence. Out of these, 3,500 schools are to set up through the respective State/UT Government in educationally backward blocks (EBBs) and the remaining 2,500 schools are to be set up under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode in blocks which are not educationally backward. The model schools are to be set up based on the Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) template with infrastructure and faculty as per norms of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan.
