Civil Works is an important component under the SSA - financially it may consume up to one third of the project outlay. This ceiling may further go up keeping in view the needs & objectives of UEE after the approval of the competent authority. Provision of school infrastructure helps in providing access to the children, and also help in their retention, both of which are important objectives of SSA. Similarly, infrastructure provision for Resource Centres at Block levels help in creating academic support, which acts as a catalyst towards quality improvement.

Involvement of the local community in construction, creating a child friendly school environment and ensuring the quality of construction are the three basic features of the civil works component under SSA.

Civil works strategies/activities are to be carried out based upon the school wise infrastructure data that shall include number of children, number of teachers, existing infrastructure & analysis of required infrastructure. Major activities which are allowed under Civil Works are:

• Construction of School Buildings;
• Construction of additional classrooms;
• Provision for toilets & drinking water facility;
• Construction of boundary walls & electrification of schools;
• Repair & Maintenance;
• Construction of Block & Cluster Resource Centres;
• Construction of SIEMAT;
• Training & Capacity Building.