Operation Kayakalp: How UP Is Upgrading Government Schools
Uttar Pradesh's Operation Kayakalp has upgraded government schools across 19 infrastructure parameters, including sanitation, electricity, accessibility and drinking water.
Uttar Pradesh's Operation Kayakalp is focused on improving basic infrastructure in government primary and upper-primary schools across the state. Launched in 2018, the programme tracks improvements against 19 infrastructure parameters, ranging from drinking water and sanitation to electricity, accessibility and classroom facilities.
The initiative follows an inter-departmental approach by combining resources from programmes and funds including Samagra Shiksha, Gram Panchayat funds, District Mineral Foundation funds, urban-area resources, Jal Jeevan Mission and MGNREGA.
The 19 parameters cover facilities such as separate toilets for boys, girls and children with disabilities, handwashing stations, tiled classroom floors, functional kitchens, modern blackboards, electricity and wiring, ramps and railings, libraries, furniture, painting and overall cleanliness.
Accessibility is also a key component, with infrastructure designed to make schools more usable for children with disabilities. A technical and operational manual was developed in collaboration with UNICEF, alongside training and capacity-building for stakeholders involved in school improvement.
The programme uses digital monitoring tools, including photographs and geo-tagging, to track infrastructure work. Monitoring is also carried out at state, district and block levels.
According to a 2025 Uttar Pradesh government publication, 97% of schools had achieved saturation across the 19 parameters.
The initiative is aimed at creating cleaner, safer and more accessible learning spaces in government schools. Basically, the blackboard is no longer supposed to be the most upgraded thing in the classroom.
