India has the world’s highest number of children without access to sanitation services at school, with 50 million affected in 2025, according to the WHO-UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme’s latest report on water, sanitation and hygiene in schools. Globally, 244 million children lacked school sanitation services, putting India at nearly one-fifth of the total. The report says India reduced the number of schools without sanitation services by 14 per cent over the period assessed. However, major gaps remain, with around 12 million Indian children lacking drinking-water services at school and around 20 million without a hygiene service. With the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal deadline approaching, the report says global progress on school wash services remains off track. Worse than Nigeria, India becomes the worst country for children without basic sanitation. So much for crowing about 7.8% economic growth, fastest growing major economy and other such achievements by the government.
VINAY DWIVEDI, Benaulim
