An overview of status of drinking water and
sanitation in schools in India
Jammu & Kashmir
Himachal Pradesh
Punjab
Uttarakhand
Haryana
Arunachal Pradesh
Sikkim
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
Assam
Bihar
Nagaland
Meghalaya
Manipur
Jharkhand
Gujarat
Madhya Pradesh
West
Bengal
Tripura
Mizoram
Chhattisgarh
Orissa
Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Goa
Karnataka
Tamil Nadu
Andaman &
Nicobar Islands
Kerala
Lakshadweep
unite for children
Global WASH-in-Schools scenario
Children’s health improves with WASH in Schools
WASH interventions critical for child survival
Percentage reduction in morbidity from
diarrhoeal diseases
50%
Schools with quality WASH programmes can effectively reduce the transmission of
diseases. More than 40 per cent of diarrhoea cases in schoolchildren result from
transmission in schools rather than homes
45%
40%
44%
42%
39%
35%
WASH in Schools increases attendance and cognitive development
36%
30%
25%
20%
23%
Education and health are inseparable. Nutrition deficiencies, diarrhoea and worm
infestations are all related to poor WASH – and all affect school participation and
learning. WASH in Schools is a first step towards ensuring a healthy physical
learning environment. Schools with quality WASH programmes can effectively
increase attendance and learning outcomes
15%
Students are agents of change in their communities
10%
5%
0%
Handwashing
Hygiene
Water Quality
Sanitation
Water Supply
Findings from statistical data analyzed by Cairncross (2008) reveal that improved water supply & sanitation
can contribute to 23% and 36% decreased morbidity due to diarrhoea. Moreover, finding from the metaanalysis by Fewtrell & Colford using handwashing and hygiene promotion data reveal that handwashing &
hygiene promotion alone contribute to 44% and 42% reduction in morbidity due to diarrhoea, implying that
handwashing at critical times can prove vital. Source: Meta-analysis by Fewtrell and Colford, 2004; Hand
washing data by Curtis & Cairncross, 2003; Updated sanitation data by Cairncross, 2008
What is WASH in Schools?
Access to sufficient quantities of safe water for

Drinking

Handwashing, cooking and personal hygiene
Sufficient water for

Cleaning

flushing toilets, school farms etc. when appropriate.
Toilet facilities that are

Sufficient, adequate and Child –friendly, gender specific, culturally appropriate,
separate and well maintained toilet facilities for boys and girls.
Personal hygiene materials

Water, soap, sanitary pads etc.

Safe disposal of solid and liquid waste
Hygiene education

Curriculum, wall paintings, competitions, child cabinets etc.
Control measures to reduce transmission and morbidity of WASH related illnesses.

Approach to control vector borne disease

De-worming campaigns, nutritional supplements
Globally, around 2.65 billion people live without access to proper toilet facilities,
and 883 million don’t have access to safe water. WASH in Schools can help
mitigate the risks and overcome the challenges. Children are generally more
receptive to new ideas and can more easily change their behaviour and promote
improved practices within their families and among their communities
WASH in Schools promotes gender equality
WASH in Schools fosters social inclusion and individual self-respect by offering an
alternative to stigma and marginalization. Girls in developing countries, for
example, often report that issues related to managing menstrual hygiene cause
them to be absent from school, frequently a first step towards dropping out
altogether.
Improving WASH in Schools is achievable
Every school can be equipped with quality WASH programmes. Students, teachers,
communities, local and national governments, civil society and private companies
all need to work together. Media and public opinion around the world can
influence political leaders to act now
Drinking water and sanitation facilities in schools still remain a challenge in most countries
Percentage of schools with drinking water
facilities – 34 countries
100
Percentage of schools with sanitation facilities – 28
countries
100
80
Girls
Boys
80
60
60
46
47
40
40
20
20
0
0
2008
2009
38
37
2008
43
42
2009
Source: Data from UNICEF Country Office Annual Reports 2008 & 2009. Water data from 34 countries, Sanitation data from 28 countries.
40 per cent of the global population – some 2.65 billion people – live without access to proper toilet facilities, and 883 million don’t have access to
safe water. More than 4,000 children under age five die from diarrhoea every day. This is a global crisis, and WASH in Schools can help. WASH in and
through schools is one of the best routes to reach entire communities. Direct engagement with students can lead to community adoption of good
WASH behaviors and technologies as well as improved health. Because children are agents of change, education for good hygiene practices in
schools links students, families and communities.
Water and sanitation facilities in schools in India
Impressive coverage of drinking water facilities in schools from 2005-06 to 2009-10
1,400,000
95
Total no. of schools - 13,62,324
93
93
1,200,000
90
88
87
1,000,000
85
800,000
85
83
600,000
80
400,000
75

Number of schools having drinking water facility has
increased from nearly 0.9 million (~83%) in 2005-06 to
1.30 million (93%) in 2010-11.
 Drinking water facilities in rural schools increased from
nearly 0.7 million schools (82%) in 2005-06 to nearly 0.85
million schools (93%) in 2009-10.*
 In all, 181 million children in schools have access to
drinking water facilities.*
[Source: DISE, NUEPA, New Delhi]
200,000
0
70
2005-2006
2006-2007
2007-2008
No. of schools with drinking water facility
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
Perentage of schools with drinking water facility
Separate toilets for girls need to become a priority

Total no. of schools - 13,62,324
Total no. of girls & Co-ed schools - 13,42,843
100
1,000,000
90
80
900,000
800,000
Coverage
700,000
600,000
58
52
51
67
80
70
60
60
54
60
50
43
500,000
400,000
63
84
37
40
Percentage
1,100,000
30
300,000
200,000
20
100,000
10
0
0
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
No. of schools with toilets
%age of schools with toilets
2009-10
2010-2011
No. of schools with separate girls' toilets
%age of schools with separate girls' toilet
Number of schools having toilet facility has increased
from 0.6 million (~52%) in 2005-06 to ~1.14 million
(84%) in 2010-11.
 In rural schools, toilet facility increased from 0.4
million schools (49%) in 2005-06 to 0.7 million schools
(79%) in 2009-10, where they have at least one toilet
facility.*
 In all, more than 160 million children in schools have
access to toilet facilities.*
 Number of schools having separate toilet facility for
girls increased from ~0.4 million (~37%) in 2005-06 to
~0.8 million (~60%) in 2009-10.*
 However over 0.5 million (~40%) schools do not have
this facility.*
[Source: DISE, NUEPA, New Delhi]
Urban schools face similar challenges of drinking
water & toilet facilities
Total Sanitation Campaign accelerated provision of toilets in rural
government schools
1,400,000
996,211
1,000,000
851,731
800,000
598,727
600,000
100
1,224,191
1,101,720
1,200,000
400,000
120
362,468
230,926
200,000
Percentage of schools
Cumulative number of of toilets constructed under Total
Sanitation Campaign
93
97
89
79
80
60
40
20
0
0
drinking water facility
toilet facility
2005-2006 2006-2007 2007-2008 2008-2009 2009-2010 2010-2011 2011-2012
Rural
The Total Sanitation Campaign supports the School Sanitation & Hygiene
Education programme. Launched in the year 2004-05, nearly 1.22 million toilets
have been constructed in rural government schools under the program. [Source:
http://tsc.gov.in, Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Government of India
Urban
The situation in urban schools is also similar to those in rural
areas. [Source: DISE 2009-10, NUEPA, New Delhi]
* Calculated on basis of DISE disaggregated data (2009-10). To be updated for 2010-11, when disaggregated data 2010-11 is available.
The functionality disparity
Functionality of water and toilet facilities continues to remain as a major gap to be plugged

Percentage of schools
93
76
100
Though 93% schools have drinking water facility, only 82 %
schools have improved drinking water facility, while it is
functional in only 79% schools (as against availability).
 Functional drinking water facility is less than 60% in
Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
 Only Six out of 10 schools have functioning toilet facilities.
Out of the ~2.7 million toilets, over 2 million (~76%) are
functional.
 In 3 states ( AP, Nagaland and Meghalaya) less than 50% of
the toilets are functional.
[Source: DISE 2009-10, NUEPA, New Delhi]
80
61
50
0
Drinking water
Sanitation
Coverage
Functional
Independent assessment of WASH facilities in schools show a similar trend in functionality
Percentage of schools
100
Facility Vs Functionality
90
90
90
84
One in ten rural schools are without toilet facilities. Where toilets
exist, only one in two is usable.
[Source: Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2010
77
80
75
70
60
56
50
2005
56
2009
2007
Percentage of schools with drinking water facility
51
2010
Percentage of schools with functional drinking water facility
State-wise functionality of drinking water facilities in
schools*
State-wise functionality of toilets in schools*
Jammu & Kashmir 62.9
Jammu & Kashmir
69.8
Himachal Pradesh 90.7
Chandigarh 99.4
Punjab 96.0
Uttarakhand 69.3
Haryana 86.8
Delhi 97.9
Rajasthan 80.5
Gujarat 85.1
Arunachal Pradesh 53.3
Meghalaya 46.7
Sikkim 81.1
Uttar Pradesh 82.5
Assam 77.6
Bihar 67.2
West Bengal 81.7
Madhya Pradesh 79.6
Jharkhand 69.4
Chhattisgarh 76.2
Orissa 74.8
Dadra & Nagar Haveli 92.3
Maharashtra 85.5
Daman & Diu 97.2
Nagaland 38.6
Manipur 56.9
Mizoram 69.2
Tripura 66.2
Puducherry 98.7
Lakshadweep 97.7 Tamil Nadu 91.7
Kerala 92.6
Chandigarh
Arunachal Pradesh
96.4
Uttarakhand
Assam 60.7
Sikkim 73.7
78.5
Delhi
91.6
96.2
Uttar Pradesh
Rajasthan
77.8
Bihar
Meghalaya
85.8
Nagaland
52.5
45.7
32.3
Jharkhand
Madhya Pradesh
Manipur
Gujarat
51.7
82.8
Tripura
85.4
86.5
67.6
Mizoram
Chhattisgarh
West Bengal
Orissa
89.2
68.3
Maharashtra
82.8
57.2
D&N Haveli
93.5
92.4
Daman & Diu
84.0
Goa
83.9
Andhra Pradesh 64.6
Goa 88.8 Karnataka 88.2
National average - 79%
Below 70%
70 - 80%
Above 80%
Himachal Pradesh
75.3
Punjab
Haryana
95.2
88.1
Andaman & Nicobar Islands 96.9
Andhra Pradesh
31.0
Karnataka
61.3
Puducherry
93.1
Lakshadweep
Tamil Nadu
93.6
93.0
National average - 76%
Kerala
Below 75%
89.2
75 - 90%
Andaman & Nicobar Islands
100.0
above 90%

Functionality of drinking water in schools is below the national average in 8 states (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Jammu & Kashmir, Manipur, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura.
 Functionality of toilet facility in schools is less than the national average in 13 states, which implies that a lot has to
be done in ensuring safe sanitation to children in schools.
[Source: DISE 2009-10, NUEPA, New Delhi]
* Calculated on basis of DISE disaggregated data (2009-10). To be updated for 2010-11, when disaggregated data 2010-11 is available.
March 2012
WASH in Schools progress- Acceleration required
Percentage of children (by enrolment) without
access to drinking water facility*
Percentage of children (by enrolment) without
access to toilet facility*
All India - 3.5%
More than 3.5%
1.5 - 3.5 %
Less than 1.5%
All India - 14%
More than 14%
5 - 14%
Less than 5%

Although the availability of drinking water stands at 93% in schools across India, yet a total 6.50 million children (3.46 % children of total enrolment) do not
have access to drinking water facility in schools.,

13 states (Meghalaya, Assam, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Orissa, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Karnataka, Manipur and
Andhra Pradesh) account for more than 3.39 million children without access to drinking water facility in schools.

A total of 27.6 million children (14.1 million boys and 13.5 million girls) accounting for 14.7% of total children enrolled do not have access to toilet facility in
schools.

7 states (Orissa, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Assam and Bihar) account for almost 50% (13.8 million) children without access to toilet facilities in
schools.
[Source: DISE 2009-10, NUEPA, New Delhi]
Toilets in all schools and separate toilets for girls is still a long way to go..
Percentage of schools without toilets
91
100
73
80
53 56
60
38 39
40 42
50
48
70 70
45
12
7 9
9
30 32 34
24 27
20
20
19
16 16 17
9 10 10 10 13
West Bengal
35
Uttarakhand
40
63 64
Rajasthan
36
69
40 40
Percentage of schools without toilets
Manipur
Bihar
Chhattisgarh
Assam
Jharkhand
D & N Haveli
Madhya Pradesh
Orissa
Tripura
Andhra Pradesh
All India
A & N Islands
Lakshadweep
Himachal Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh
Goa
7
Mizoram
5
Nagaland
5
Maharashtra
24
Kerala
33
Tamil Nadu
Haryana
18
11
5
3
2
Karnataka
2
Gujarat
2
37
Puducherry
2
Daman & Diu
0
Delhi
0
11
0 0
Sikkim
20
Chandigarh
23
Punjab
40
38
35 31
28
52
79
Percentage of schools without girls' toilets


Improving access to toilets in 6 states (UP, MP, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh and Assam would reduce the gap by 50%.
Similarly, improving the access to girls’ toilets in 7 states (Chhattisgarh, J&K, Bihar, Meghalaya, Orissa, Assam, Manipur and
MP) would reduce the gap by 50%.
[Source: DISE 2010-11, NUEPA, New Delhi]
* Calculated on basis of DISE disaggregated data (2009-10). To be updated for 2010-11, when disaggregated data 2010-11 is available.
Hygiene practices - key to child survival & development
Handwashing with soap before Mid Day Meal still remain a challenge.
Percentage of schools with designated
Handwashing space
49
Percentage of schools with soap/detergent
for handwashing
12
Yes
51
88
No
Schools with designated handwashing space
Schools without designated handwashing space
Material used for handwashing before MDM
42
49
Water
Soap/ detergent
Findings of an assessment conducted in 540 schools in nine states in India on Mid Day Meal (MDM) program reveal that:
 Nearly half (51%) of the schools have a designated hand washing space and in 44% of the schools observed the hand washing
space was being used.
 Only close to one in ten (12%) of schools had soap/detergent available at the hand washing space.
 Nearly half (49%) of the students washed their hands using only water. Only two out of five (42%) students use
soap/detergent.
[Source: Hygiene Practices in schools during Mid-Day Meals, UNICEF-India study 2009 unpublished]
Policy environment for WASH in schools in India
Constitution
 Article 21-A “free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to fourteen years as a Fundamental Right”
Legislation
 Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009
 RTE necessitates ensuring drinking water and sanitation facilities at school level
 Supreme Court’s sets deadline for all states to ensure water and sanitation facility by November 2011.
Policy Implementation
 Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) for universalizing elementary education
 School Sanitation and Hygiene Education (SSHE) component of Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC)
 Nirmal Gram Puraskar (Clean Village Award) mandates functional toilets in all Government, Government aided and private
schools and all Co - ed Upper Primary schools to have separate toilets for boys and girls.
 NGP incentive amount can be used for creation of additional sanitation facilities in schools & anganwadis and construction of
incinerators in girls’ schools.