The Atal Aawasiya Vidyalaya program, launched in Uttar Pradesh in 2022, provides free residential education, accredited by CBSE, for the children of construction workers and other low-income families. One such school is provided in every district.
Construction work is one of the most unstable forms of employment in India; workers are often forced to migrate for months, causing their children to frequently miss out on stable schooling. The Atal Aawasiya Vidyalaya program, initiated by the Uttar Pradesh government, was created precisely to bridge this gap.
This program is implemented by the Department of Labour and Employment through the Uttar Pradesh Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board (UPBOCW). Under this program, free residential education from classes 6 to 12 is provided, including accommodation, meals, uniforms, and textbooks. The curriculum adheres to CBSE standards.
In addition to standard classrooms, these campuses feature separate dormitories for boys and girls, dining halls, lecture halls, sports grounds, patient rooms monitored by a nurse, and residential quarters for teachers within the complex. The goal is to provide children with a complete experience of living in a boarding school for free if their families cannot afford such expenses.
Information regarding admissions is usually published between late January and mid-February annually. An entrance examination is conducted for admission into the 6th and 9th grades. Applications can be submitted on the website upbocw.in or at the local district labour office. Required documents include the Uttar Pradesh Worker Card (UP Labor Card) or registration of the construction worker by the parents, as well as the child's identity card (Aadhaar Card).