Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

For many girls, continuing their education can be difficult because of distance from school, financial difficulties, social disadvantages or the lack of a safe place to stay. The Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) was introduced to help overcome these barriers by providing residential schooling for girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. Under the present Samagra Shiksha framework, KGBVs support girls generally in the 10 to 18 years age group studying in Classes VI to XII, depending on the type and level of the KGBV. The programme mainly covers girls from SC, ST, OBC, minority communities and BPL families. Students receive support such as boarding, lodging, food, uniforms, textbooks, stationery and other educational facilities. The programme also includes support for self-defence training, health and hygiene, vocational activities and digital learning. The latest national figure available for 2026 reports 5,316 functional KGBVs.

KGBV was launched by the Government of India in 2004 as a residential schooling intervention for girls at the upper-primary level. Over time, the programme became part of the wider school education framework. Since 2018-19, KGBVs and Girls' Hostels have been brought together under Samagra Shiksha, with the aim of supporting girls' education through the senior secondary level. The programme is administered by the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, while its day-to-day implementation and admissions are handled through the respective State and UT Samagra Shiksha systems. Readers can refer to the official Samagra Shiksha KGBV page for programme information and guidelines.

KGBV is not only about providing a place to stay. It helps girls continue their education when distance, social or financial difficulties make regular schooling difficult. The programme aims to improve access to education, reduce gender and social gaps, bring out-of-school girls into the education system and help them continue from elementary to secondary and senior secondary classes. KGBVs are especially useful in areas where girls may have limited access to regular schools. Residential schooling is provided in eligible Educationally Backward Blocks and other areas covered under the applicable programme rules.

KGBV mainly covers girls aged 10 to 18 years from identified disadvantaged groups. These include girls from SC, ST, OBC, minority communities and BPL families. Girls who are out of school or at risk of dropping out may also receive priority under the applicable State or UT rules. There is no single national KGBV application form or entrance examination. Admissions are handled by the concerned State or UT through its education department, Samagra Shiksha authorities, district or block-level offices, or the KGBV. Therefore, admission dates, documents and selection rules can vary from one State to another.

Students staying at KGBVs can receive support for both education and daily living. Depending on the applicable provisions, facilities may include food and lodging, uniforms, textbooks, stationery, health and hygiene support, sports and recreational activities, vocational and life-skill activities and self-defence training. Digital learning has also been strengthened through interventions such as ICT labs and smart classrooms in eligible KGBVs and girls' hostels.

Parents or guardians who want to apply should first contact the nearest KGBV, Block Education Office, district education office or State Samagra Shiksha authority. They can provide information about available seats, admission dates, required documents and the local selection process. As there is no single national KGBV admission portal, applicants should follow the official notification issued by their State or UT and avoid unofficial registration websites.

Families looking for other education-related support can also explore relevant schemes on GovtSchemes.in. For example, the National Means Cum Merit Scholarship Scheme may be useful for eligible students who continue their education at the secondary and higher-secondary levels.

Scheme Benefits

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya provides residential schooling along with educational, health, safety and learning support so that girls from disadvantaged backgrounds can continue their studies without common barriers such as distance and lack of residential facilities.

• Provides residential schooling from Classes VI to XII, depending on the type and upgradation status of the KGBV.
• Provides boarding, lodging and food to eligible girl students staying at the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya.
• Provides uniforms, textbooks, stationery and other teaching-learning materials to support students' education.
• Provides health and hygiene support, including medical care and menstrual hygiene facilities under applicable Samagra Shiksha provisions.
• Provides self-defence training under Rani Laxmibai Atma Raksha Prashikshan, with financial support of up to ₹5,000 per month for three months per school.
• Supports vocational, life-skill, sports and recreational activities to provide students with learning opportunities beyond regular classroom teaching.
• Provides access to libraries, laboratories, ICT facilities and digital learning resources according to the facilities available at the KGBV.
• ICT labs and smart classrooms have been approved for functional KGBVs and girls' hostels, with 3,564 ICT labs and 3,655 smart classrooms approved under the 2024 intervention.
• Supports a safer residential learning environment through provisions related to sanitation, security and other essential hostel facilities.
• Helps girls from disadvantaged communities continue their education, reduce the risk of dropping out and transition to secondary and senior secondary classes.

The exact facilities and student entitlements may vary according to the KGBV type, State/UT implementation and applicable Samagra Shiksha norms.

KGBV Types and Classes Covered

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas are organised into different types based on the classes offered and the level up to which residential schooling is available. This classification helps explain why the classes available may differ from one KGBV to another.

• Type I KGBVs provide residential schooling for Classes VI to VIII.
• Type II KGBVs cover Classes VI to X.
• Type III KGBVs provide schooling from Classes VI to XII.
• Type IV covers Classes IX to XII and relates to girls' hostels that were brought within the KGBV framework.

Under Samagra Shiksha, the expansion of KGBVs to the senior secondary level has been taken up in phases. Therefore, the classes available at a particular KGBV depend on its type, upgradation status and the facilities approved for that school.

Eligibility Requirements

Girls who meet the prescribed age, class and target-group conditions can seek admission to Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya. The main eligibility requirements are as follows:

• The applicant must be a girl seeking admission to the applicable classes offered by the KGBV.
• The target age group is generally 10 to 18 years.
• She should be seeking education in Classes VI to XII, depending on the type and level of the KGBV.
• Priority is given to girls belonging to SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.
• Girls from BPL families are also included among the target beneficiaries.
• Preference may be given to girls who are out of school, have dropped out or are otherwise vulnerable, according to the applicable State/UT admission rules.
• The KGBV should be located in an area covered by the applicable programme norms, such as an Educationally Backward Block or another eligible area.
• Admission is subject to the availability of seats and the admission rules followed by the concerned State or Union Territory.

The exact admission criteria, documents and selection process may differ between States and Union Territories. Parents or guardians should therefore check the latest notification issued by the concerned State Samagra Shiksha authority or education department.

Required Documents

Parents or guardians may need to submit documents to verify the student's age, identity, category and eligibility. The exact requirements depend on the admission rules of the concerned State or Union Territory.

• Age or date-of-birth proof of the girl student.
• Caste certificate, if applying under SC, ST or OBC category.
• Minority community proof, where required under the applicable State rules.
• BPL or income-related document, if applicable.
• Residence or address proof.
• Previous school records, such as a transfer certificate or marksheet, if available.
• Aadhaar or another identity document, if required by the State admission process.
• Recent passport-size photographs of the student.
• Orphan, disability or other supporting certificate, where applicable.

Applicants should not assume that every document listed above is mandatory in every State. The final document list should be checked in the latest admission notification issued by the concerned State Samagra Shiksha authority, education department or KGBV.

Steps to Apply

The admission process for Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya is managed by the concerned State or Union Territory. Since the process can differ from one State to another, applicants should first identify the KGBV available in their area and then follow the admission instructions issued by the local education authority.

• Start by checking the Ministry of Education's State and UT education directory to find the official education or Samagra Shiksha website for your State or Union Territory.
• On the concerned State website, look for the section related to Samagra Shiksha, KGBV, girls' residential schools or student admissions.
• Read the latest KGBV admission notice carefully to check the available classes, eligibility conditions, vacant seats, admission dates and required documents.
• If the State has provided an online application facility, open the KGBV admission link given in the official notice and complete the registration or application form using the student's details.
• Enter the student's name, date of birth, address, category, school details and other information exactly as mentioned in the supporting documents.
• Upload the documents requested in the application, if the State's online system requires document uploads.
• Review the information before submitting the form and save the application number or acknowledgement for future reference.
• If the State follows an offline process, obtain the KGBV admission form from the concerned KGBV, Block Education Office, district education office or other authority mentioned in the State notification.
• Fill in the form carefully, attach the required documents and submit it to the address or office specified in the admission notice.
• After submission, follow the State or local education authority's instructions regarding document verification, selection and confirmation of admission.

There is no single national KGBV application portal for all States and Union Territories. Therefore, applicants should use only the application link or form provided by their concerned State/UT authority rather than relying on an unrelated website.

Relevant Links

• Ministry of Education, Government of India
• Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) – Samagra Shiksha Portal
• Samagra Shiksha Portal
• Samagra Shiksha Guidelines
• Samagra Shiksha Implementation Guidelines

Contact Information

For KGBV admission and student-related queries, applicants should contact the concerned State or Union Territory education department, State Samagra Shiksha office, district/block education office or the nearest KGBV. The Central Government does not operate a single national KGBV admission helpline or application centre.

Department: Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India

• Address: Shastri Bhawan, New Delhi – 110001
• For admission queries: Concerned State/UT Education Department or State Samagra Shiksha authority
• For local admission assistance: Nearest KGBV, Block Education Office or District Education Office

For general information about the programme, applicants can refer to the official KGBV page on the Samagra Shiksha website.