PRAYAGRAJ, June 4 -- Out of the 20 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in Prayagraj district, which had been offering education from classes 6 to 8 along with residential facilities to girls till now, nine have been upgraded for classes 9 to 12, according to district officials. For the first time from this academic session (2025-26), studies of classes 9 to 12 will also start in government-run Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). In the six upgraded schools located at Baharia, Kaundhiara, Soraon, Shankargarh, Saidabad and Handia development blocks, only hostel facilities are being provided as of now, while the students have been given admission to classes 9-12 in nearby government and government-aided secondary schools, district coordinator (girl education) Santosh Tripathi said. However, teaching facilities are yet to be provided in three of the upgraded schools, including the ones at Meja, Dhanupur and Kaudihar. Studies for classes 9-12 will start in Meja and Dhanupur from this year itself and at Kaudihar from next year, due to delay in construction work, he added. The KGBVs offer free-of-cost residential schooling facilities to boost education among girls, especially those belonging to scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), other backward classes (OBC) and minority communities as well as those from below poverty line (BPL) families. The KGBV scheme was launched by the Central government to make the education system more responsive to the needs of marginalised girls and to enhance their access and retention. Initially, it ran as a separate scheme, but was merged with the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme with effect from April 1, 2007. Officials said that teachers are being appointed for classes 9 to 12 for the first time and the selection process will be completed by July. When the session started from April 1, the already employed teachers started teaching the secondary classes, they said, adding newly-appointed teachers will be teaching them from July 1. Apart from posts of principal, advertisements were issued for appointment on two posts of teachers, including PGT Hindi, English, Mathematics, Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Computer Science for each of the two schools. Apart from this, the application process for six lab assistant posts, two office superintendent/clerk posts, six posts each of peon, chowkidar and cook has also been completed. About 750 teachers have applied for recruitment as teachers and non-teaching staff, officials explained. Selection against 48 posts for classes 6 to 8 Selections will also be done soon for the 48 vacant posts advertised for catering to the needs of classes 6 to 8 in Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Schools of Prayagraj. Around 700 candidates have applied for three posts of full-time teacher each for Science, Mathematics and English, two posts for Social Science subject and one for Hindi, eight posts for part-time teacher for Arts, ten posts for Computer, besides four posts of accountant, three posts of watchman, one each for head cook and peon and nine posts of assistant cook....