Cabinet approves opening of 57 new Kendriya Vidyalayas with ₹5,862 crore outlay

The government on Wednesday approved the opening of 57 new Kendriya Vidyalayas (KVs) under the civil sector across the country with an estimated outlay of over ₹5,862 crore spread over nine years.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, cleared the proposal aimed at meeting the educational needs of children of central government employees, the Education Ministry said in a statement.

Of the total funds, around ₹2,585 crore will be spent on capital expenditure and ₹3,277 crore on operational expenditure.

The new schools will also include Balvatikas (pre-primary classes) for the first time, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, it said.

Around 86,640 students are expected to benefit from the 57 new KVs. As many as 4,617 direct permanent employment opportunities will be created, according to the official readout.

“Construction and allied activities associated with augmentation of various facilities in all KVs are likely to generate employment opportunities for many skilled and unskilled workers,” the ministry noted.

At present, there are 1,288 functional KVs in the country, including three abroad in Moscow, Kathmandu and Tehran, with a total enrolment of 13.62 lakh students as on June 30, 2025.

The latest approval comes after the sanctioning of 85 new KVs in December 2024, and will cover 17 states and Union Territories.

Of the 57 schools approved, 20 will come up in districts where no KV currently exists, 14 in aspirational districts, four in Left-Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected areas and five in the North East and hilly regions.

Seven of the new schools are sponsored by the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the remaining 50 by state and UT authorities.

“The KVs are some of the most sought-after schools, due to their quality teaching, innovative pedagogy and up-to-date infrastructure,” the ministry said.

The Kendriya Vidyalaya scheme was launched in 1962 to provide uniform educational facilities to the children of transferable and non-transferable central government employees, including defence and paramilitary personnel.