774 Delhi schools fail child safety norms during two-week inspection drive

Over 45 percent of inspected Delhi schools failed to comply with official student safety and child protection rules during a two-week inspection drive launched on July 13. Out of 1,677 private, government, and government-aided schools evaluated across Delhi, 774 were found to have notable gaps, according to a statement issued by the Lieutenant Governor's office.

Private schools accounted for a disproportionately high share of safety gaps relative to the total number inspected. Inspection teams examined 812 private schools and identified deficiencies in 463 of them. Officials noted that teams are continuing to closely monitor private institutions across the capital.

Government and government-aided institutions also recorded significant non-compliance. Out of 790 government schools inspected, 270 were found to be deficient. Additionally, 41 out of 75 government-aided schools failed to meet prescribed safety standards.

Key safety failures identified during the inspections included the non-constitution of mandatory child welfare committees and the absence of parent representatives on existing committees. The inspection drive aims to enforce compliance with guidelines framed by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

The drive was initiated following directions issued on July 6 by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and Chief Minister Rekha Gupta for the strict, time-bound implementation of "Child Protection Month" initiatives. Dedicated inspection teams comprising representatives from the Directorate of Education, the Women and Child Development Department, Delhi Police, parent groups, and heads of schools are conducting the daily reviews.

Officials confirmed that schools found with deficiencies have been flagged for immediate remedial action in a time-bound manner. Follow-up verification mechanisms have been built into the process to ensure genuine compliance rather than a one-time paper exercise. The inspection drive will continue until all 5,633 schools in Delhi, including those run by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Council, and the Delhi Cantonment Board, are thoroughly inspected.