Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: The ongoing impact of unfinished civil works in Assam’s elementary and secondary schools under the SSA (Samagra Shiksha, Assam) since 2018-19 is adversely affecting the overall educational landscape in the state.
According to the Departmentally Related Standing Committee (DRSC) on School Education of the Assam Legislative Assembly (ALA), the 81,772 civil works sanctioned under Samagra Shiksha (Elementary & Secondary) in Assam since 2018-19 are at various stages of implementation. As many as 50,807 works, which is around 62.13 per cent of the sanctioned, are yet to be started.
The data shows that 28,875 works, i.e., around 35.31 per cent, have been completed, and 2,090 works, i.e., around 2.48 per cent, are in progress. The works cover infrastructure activities ranging from classroom construction and laboratories to hostels, toilets, furniture and school upgrading.
Among the major components, furniture accounts for the largest number of pending works. Against a physical target of 74,057 works, only 23,343 works have been completed, leaving 50,714 works still to be started.
The construction of Integrated Science Laboratories has also seen a substantial number of projects still under implementation. Of the 1,864 targeted laboratories, 143 have been completed, 1,632 are in progress, while 89 have not yet started.
Similarly, 209 DAJGUA hostel works are listed as being in progress, with none completed so far.
In terms of school upgrading, 17 of the 31 schools targeted from Upper Primary (UP) to High School (HS) have been completed, while 14 remain in progress. Of the 47 schools targeted for upgrading from HS to Higher Secondary School (HSS), 30 have been completed and 17 are in progress.
The data also indicates significant progress in several basic infrastructure components. As many as 1,782 additional classrooms have been completed against a target of 1,972, while 189 are in progress and one is yet to start.
All targeted 92 art/craft rooms, seven computer rooms, 69 library rooms, 368 major repair works, 428 girls’ toilets, 339 boys’ toilets, 237 toilets for Children with Special Needs (CWSN), 50 drinking-water projects and 16 ramps have been completed.
Similarly, all 171 solar-panel projects included in the programme have been completed.
For residential infrastructure, 85 of the 91 residential quarters have been completed, with six still in progress.
The figures highlight both the expansion of school infrastructure under Samagra Shiksha and the substantial backlog, particularly in furniture, science laboratories and hostel construction that remains to be addressed.
It is worth mentioning here that the slow progress of civil works in Assam has also come to the notice of the PAB (Project Approval Board) of the Ministry of Education regarding the SSA budget. The 2026-27 PAB meeting emphasised that Assam should focus on achieving saturation of basic facilities in mission mode. The state should identify the schools where essential amenities are still lacking and ensure 100 per cent coverage of facilities in all government schools.
According to PAB data, 41,527 schools in Assam are without solar panel facilities, 20,547 schools have no boundary walls, 1,640 schools have no power connection, 1,248 schools have no provision for hand wash, 7,710 schools are without playgrounds, 284 schools have no drinking water facilities, 360 schools have no girls’ toilets, and 591 schools are without boys’ toilets.
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