Varanasi claims top rank in Operation Kayakalp

LUCKNOW: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency Varanasi emerged the top district in UP that saw highest growth in equipping its primary and upper primary schools with basic facilities under Operation Vidyalaya Kayakalp.
The ambitious project of UP government aims a makeover of state-run schools by providing toilets, drinking water, furniture, boundary walls by March 2022.
The ranking based on third party survey by Prerna mobile application done by the basic education department in September 2020, and August 2021, puts Varanasi on first place with 198.7 score.
Ghaziabad and Etawah stood second and third with their overall scores of 189.7 and 171.8 respectively. Lucknow was ranked sixth with an overall growth score of 128.2.
The ranking shows that out of 1,32,675 schools mapped on August, 2021, 5.3% (7,092) qualified for five-star ratings with OVK indicators saturating above 90%.
Another 21.7% (28817) schools were graded as four-star, where over 75% of basic facilities were provided.
Another 45% (60,142) schools achieved three-star grading by meeting at least 50% of the OVK indicators.
Around 15.7% (20,815) and 11.9% (15,809) got two-star and one-star grading respectively.
Schools with single stars show saturation of OVK indicators below 35%.
Director general, school education, Anamika Singh said, “Operation Kayakalp is one of the biggest inter-departmental programmes targeted for ensuring basic infrastructure facilities in state-run schools. Field officers are working hard. The work of rejuvenating remaining schools is being done in a phased manner.”
Though the grading shows significant improvement – from 0.6% five-star and 3.3% four-star schools last year to 5% five-star and 21.7% four-star schools this year respectively – the target is still a long way off.
Singh has now set a fresh time-bound target to ensure 100% completion before UP goes to poll in 2022.
Citing the Operation Kayakalp as the government's dream project which is monitored at high level, Singh has instructed district basic education officers to ensure 75% saturation of OVK indicators by November, 90% by December and 100% by January 2022.