A citywide school safety inspection drive launched as part of Delhi’s ‘Child Protection Month’ has found deficiencies in 774 of the 1,677 schools inspected so far, with private schools accounting for the largest share of institutions flagged for non-compliance.

The inspections, being carried out since July 13, were ordered by Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu and CM Rekha Gupta during a review meeting on July 6, which called for strict and time-bound implementation of child safety measures across all schools in the Capital.

According to official data, 790 government schools were inspected, of which 270 were found to have deficiencies. Among private schools, 463 of the 812 inspected were flagged for shortcomings, while 41 of the 75 government-aided schools inspected were also found deficient.

Officials said the inspections were being conducted using a Student Safety Checklist, prepared in line with the guidelines of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The inspection teams comprise representatives of parents, the Directorate of Education, the Women and Child Development Department, Delhi Police and heads of schools. Schools found lacking are being directed to take immediate corrective measures, with follow-up inspections planned to ensure compliance.

Authorities said the exercise was being conducted on a large scale, with teams inspecting between 150 and 200 schools on several days. The drive will continue until all 5,633 government, government-aided, MCD, NDMC, Delhi Cantonment Board and private schools in the Capital are covered.

Officials said the objective was to institutionalise child safety measures as a permanent feature of school functioning, rather than limiting them to the designated ‘Child Protection Month’, and to build a sustained culture of safety, accountability and preparedness across educational institutions.