Chandigarh to set up ICT, VR labs in 57 government schools
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Chandigarh: UT's education department will establish information and communication technology (ICT) labs in 47 government schools and virtual reality (VR) labs in 10 schools under the Samagra Shiksha scheme over two years, aiming to enhance technology-enabled learning in classrooms.
As per the 2025-26 annual work plan approved by the ministry of education's project approval board (PAB), 32 ICT labs were sanctioned in 2024-25 and 15 more are to be added in 2025-26. Each ICT lab will include 10 desktop computers, 10 UPS units, one interactive panel, one printer-cum-scanner, and relevant furniture. For VR labs, 10 headsets per school will be provided, along with charging stations, a content management system, one UPS, and teacher training.
These initiatives fall under broader national efforts to reach digital saturation in government schools, as recommended during the PAB's recent meeting in March 2025.
Centre flags 100% pendency of 2024 ICT labs
According to the PAB minutes, Chandigarh had reported 100% pendency in executing ICT lab infrastructure approved for 2024-25. All 32 labs sanctioned last year remained unimplemented as of March 2025. The ministry expressed concern over the delays and instructed UT officials to prioritise execution of pending ICT components before proceeding.
The Centre also reiterated that non-recurring works left incomplete for years would become committed liabilities for the UT. Officials were directed to update progress regularly on the Prabandh portal and surrender inactive projects where necessary.
Chandigarh's education department, which had cited vendor and tendering hurdles in earlier delays, is now expected to ensure timely procurement and full utilisation of approved grants in FY 2025-26. The Centre has approved a combined central outlay of over Rs 14 crore for elementary, secondary, and teacher education components.
With growing focus on tech-driven classrooms, the successful rollout of ICT and VR labs is now under scrutiny.
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