I5-:^8827 • 1978

Indian Standard \

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASIC..

REQUIREMENTS OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS

UDG 727-1: 371-62

© Copyright 1978

,w STANDARDS INSTITUTION
I W ^HAVAN, 9 B AH AD U R SHAH ZAFAR MARG
IV / ' new D ELH I 110002

Price i l T l & r " October 1978

 lS )te2 7 -1 9 ?«

Indian Standard
RJECOMMENDATIONS FOl BASIC
REQ UIREM EN TS OF SCHOOL BUJLDNGS

F u r® ao u al Requ^em ents ir. Sertiflm l

Committee, BDC 12

Chaiwmw.n RAresetinjg
S h r u B . N . B a n b ;b j]ea Public Works Depirtnent, GovernJ^nt o f W est
Bengal, C slcuta
Alemberx
P r o k ’ a . J. C o n t r ,a (ct O)r University o f f.ooikee R oork ee
Sm t 'E. s . G h u m a n Indian Institute of A riiitects;, BamPy
S hric R . G , G<okjhaLjE In personal cipaiity ( C~IIi36 Til^ Marg, J^few
Delhi)
S hric P, C. J a j t l y Directorate Gtneial >f H e a ltt Sfvices, ]vfew
Delhi
SlIRlrJ. C. KA-PUJR Danfoss ( Indie) lim ie d . N ew Del.<i
C o l N . C . Gutpita (( Aliernate )
S h r i ^K . K . K h a j i n a National BuildngsOrganization, N w Delhi
S h b i M . M . M i s t j b y ( Alternate )
S h r i B. D . K shijrsa . ga :r Engineer-in-Ch.ef’ f Bnnch, A rm y leaoquarte^rs,
New Dtlhi
S h r i L . R . L.AL3LA ( Alternate )
kSHBi M . M . P a n d e Voltas Limited, Bonbiy
IS h ri M . D . P a t e l Institution of EigiiEerr( In dia ), CapuUa
S h r i S. P u b u s h o t h m a Directorate Geierai ofF actory Advi<e Service &
Labour Institut‘s, Jombay
S h r i P a r e l k a r ( Alternate )
S h ri M . M . Ram a Central Public 'Vorvs lepartm en t, Aew D elhi
S h r i R . K . S. S a x e w a Directorate GeiKralof Observatories, New Deihii
S h r i S a y e d S. S h a f i Institute o fT o v n Raniers, N ew DeDi
S h r i D . P . S h a e m a ( Alternate )
S h r i M . R . SsAiaMA. Central Buildirg :ies-arch Institute ( C S IR . ),
Roorkee
S h r i S. S u b b a R a o All India Institute cf H 'giene & PuPlic Healtth,
Calcutta
S h r i A . V . R a o ( Alternate )
C ol S u k h d e v S m o ia National Safety C ou icii Bombay
S h r i N . C . M u e h e r j e e ( Alternate)

( Continu^^ oi page 2 )

© Copy'igkt 1978
IN D IA N STANDARDS KS7IIUTXDN
Thi:s p u b lica tio n iis pjrotected under the Iniian Copvrigit A t ( X I V o f J 9 5 /) andl
repiroduction in wh.ole' or in part by any neats eicept w ih vritten permis.<sion o f th e'
publisher shall b e cdeeimed to be an infriigenen: ofcopyrijht in der the saU A ct..
IS : 8827 - 1978

( Continuedfrom page 1 )

Members Representing
S h r i R . L. S u r i Suri & Suri C onsulting A coustical Engineers,
N ew D elhi
Sum G autam Suri ( Alternate )
Sh ri L, G . T oye Research, Designs a nd Standards Organization,
M inistry o f R ailw ays
Shri V . K . P u n j ( Alternate )
Shri D. A j i t h a S i m h a , D irector G eneral, IS I ( Ex-officio Member)
D irector ( Civ Engg )
Secretary
Sh r i Su re sh M a lk a n i
Assistant D irector ( C iv Engg ), IS I

Panel for Basic Requirements o f School Buildings, BDC 12: P3

Convener
Shri R . D. S r iv a s t a v a Central B uildin g R esearch Institute (C S IR ),
Roorkee
Members
S h r i M . M . M is t r y N ational Buildings O rgan ization , New D elhi
S h r i A . K. Sa x e n a K end riya V id ya la ya Sangathan, New Delhi
S h r i H . L. K h o s l a ( Alternate )
S h r i Su r e n d r a S h a r m a In dian Institute o f A rchitects, Bom bay

37
sub. Naaonal Systems unit.
National I n s t i t u t e o i Education^
Planmn ; 4 uOOK
, M arg,Ne«D«lhi-UOO.

DOC. No............................. ......

 IS : 8827 -1978

Indian Standard
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BASIC
REQUIREMENTS OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS

0. FOREW ORD

0.1 This Indian Standard was adopted by the Indian Standards Institu­
tion on 27 February 1978, after the draft finalized by the Functional
Requirements in Buildings Sectional Committee had been approved by the
Civil Engineering Division Council.
*0.2 As a student moves from nursery to higher levels, the process of
imparting education becomes more and more involved. This demands
addition o f a number o f facilities to the basic class room unit depending
upon the level and nature o f the school. At present, in the absence of any
uniform standards, there is marked variation in the educational facilities
between various schools. Again in view o f the changes in educational
^pattern as well as teaching aids adopted, it is necessary to introduce the
relevant requirements in a national standard. The standard is, therefore,
intended to lay down optimum requirements for school buildings, subject
^however to local conditions.
0.3 The purpose o f this standard is not to offer design solutions for an
educational facility but to lay down standards for both spatial and
environmental needs o f the basic class room and allied spaces.
0.4,;The standard is also recommended for the renovation or expansion of
facilities o f the existing school buildings.
0.5 The process o f educiation is subject to continuous changes and this
standard would need periodic up-dating in order to keep pace with the
changing situations.
0.6 In the preparation o f this standard, assistance has been drawn from
the following publication:
School Buildings — Revised Norms and Specifications, Report of a
Committee on School Buildings, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan,
New Delhi.
Assistance has also been taken from research work done at Central
Buildings Research Institute, Roorkee.
 18:8827-1978

0.7 This standard is one o f a series o f Indian Standards covering functional

requirements in buildings. A list o f standards published so far in the series
is given on fourth cover page.
0.8 For the purpose o f deciding whether a particular requirement of this
standard is complied with, the final value, observed or calculated, express­
ing the result o f a test or analysis, shall be rounded off in accordance with
IS : 2-1960*. The number o f significant places retained in the rounded
ofT value should be the same as that o f the specified value in this
standard.

1. SCOPE
1.1 This standard covers spatial, functional and environmental require­
ments o f school buildings.
1.1.1 This standard does no*t cover requirements for boarding or
residential schools.

2. TERMINOLOGY
2.1 Air Change per H o u r— The ratio o f the volume o f outside air
allowed into a room in one hour to the volume o f the room.
2.2 Canteen — A place having facilities for cooking or warming of food,
preferably attached to a place covered or uncovered where students and
staff can assemble for meals or refreshment.
2.3 Common Room — A room primarily meant for use of students or
staff during non-teaching school hours.
2.4 Decibel [ dB( A ) ] — Sound levels as measured on a sound level
meter with weighting network A.
2.5 Medical Inspection Room — A room intended for carrying medical
examination or providing health care facility to the students and staff.
2.6 Pin-Board — A panel or surface o f suitable material on which any
display material can be temporarily fixed.
2.7 School Buildings — These shall include buildings used for school or
day-care purposes, involving assembly for instruction, education or recrea­
tion up to higher secondary level.
2.8 School Hours — The time period in hours for which the school is
open for teaching including recess period.

*R nles for rounding ofT num erical values ( revised).

 is : 8827 - l97ft

2.9 Use-Efficiency — It is the ratio o f the actual use to the ideal use of
space taken as percentage. It is expressed as:
^ . _ Area o f space actually used x Time used in hours x 100
se e ciency _ Total area o f space available X School hours
N ote — U se-efficiency is related to the organization of tim e table o f the
school.

3. GROUPING OF CLASS LEVELS

3.1 For the purpose o f this standard, the class-levels have been grouped
into five categories as given in Table I. These categories take into account
the age group and the level o f education to be imparted.

TAB LE 1 GROUPING OF CLASS LEVELS

Sl Category A ge G iiou p L evel

N o.

(1) (2) (3) (4)

years
i) P re-school 3-5 Fre-N ursery,
Nursery
ii) P rim ary/Junior 5-10 I to I V /V
iii) Secondary / M id dle 10-13 V to V II or V I I I
iv) H igher S econ dary ( O ld ) 13-16 V I I I /I X to X I
v) H igher Secondary ( New )
( T en plus two )
Level ( i ) 13-15 I X and X
L evel ( i i ) 15-17 X I and X I I

4. CLASSROOMS

4.1 The basic unit o f a school is classroom. The classroom, apart from
satisfying the minimum requirements o f space, fiittings and furniture, shall
be designed to meet the adequate functional and environmental require­
ments. The size o f a classroom shall depend on the following:
a) Anthropometric dimensions o f children and their space require­
ments;
b) Dimensions, arrangements o f furniture and equipment and their
incidence;
c) Number of students to be accommodated;
d) Types of activities to be carried out; and
e) Diverse seating arrangements essential for these activities.

5
IS : 8B27 - 1978

4.1.1 The number of classrooms in a school and the number o f sections

per class should depend upon the size and level of school and use efficiency
of spaces.
4.2 The classroom should be designed for the following number of student
places:
a) Nursery — 20 to 25 student places
b) Primary!Higher Secondary — 40 student places
4.3 Area of Classroom — Area o f classroom should be calculated on the
basis o f area needed per student place as given in Table 2.
4.3.1 Typical illustrations of primary and secondary classrooms with
alternative furniture arrangements are shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 4.
TABLE 2 USABLE FLO O R AR E A OF C LASSRO OM S

( Clause 4.3 )

Sl C ategory N o. OF S t u d e n t G r o s s A r e a of
N o. Places per C l a s s r o o m in per
C lassroom Stu d en t Place,
Min

(I) (2 ) (3) (4)

i) Pre-school 20/25 2-00

ii) Prim ary/Junior

i) W ith furniture 40 M l
ii) W ith squatting 40 0-74
iii) Secondary /H igher
Secondary 40 1-26

4.4 Glass Room Fittings — Each classroom should be provided with the
fittings as given in Table 3.
4.5 Essential Constructional Requirements
4.5.1 Height o f the classroom should not be less than 3'00 m measured
at any point from the surface o f the floor to the lowest point o f the ceiling.
The minimum headroom such as under the bottom of beams, fans and
lights shall be 2’6 m measured vertically under such beam, fan or light.
4.5.2 The proportion o f the breadth ( minimum dimension ) to the
length ( maximum dimension) o f the classroom should be not more than
1 : 1-5.
4.5.3 Sill Heights — The sill height for classrooms with furniture arrange­
ment should be not more than 800 mm measured from finished floor level
and that for the classrooms with squatting arrangement should be not more
than 600 mm.
 18:8827-1978

• 6100

2400 -

n z CHALKBOARD

2400

CUPBOARD
960 X A50

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □

7300
□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 500

450

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 500

450
—4 -
□ □ Q B BQ B P 500
—i -
450

□ □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 650

4 5 0 - 960 50 “ 960 460 450

A ll dimensions in m illim etres.

F ig , 1 T y p ic a l I l l u s t r a t io n o f a P r im a r y C l a ssr o o m

7
IS ; 8827 - 1978

6900-

— 2400-

t CHALK­ XT
BOARD
Z
2200

460 ^ <120x450
500 -►1120-^ 460

450

3 □ 550

450
7300
-1 E □ 550

3B nn P

□ □ □ 650

A ll dimensions in m illim etres.

F ig . 2 T y p ic a l I l l u s t r a t io n of a S e c o n d a r y / H ig h e r S e c o n d a r y
C lassroom
 I S : 882^-1976

A ll dimensions in millimetres.

F ig . 3 S k e t c h S h o w in g A l t e r n a t e A r r a n g e m e n t o f F u r n it u r e
IN P r i m a r y C l a s s r o o m
IS : 8827 - 1978

6900

- j - l U
CUPBOARD

O
7300 o □
y
■“ ■! I ■ ]
1
" =1
o y
y
J -1

A ll dim ensions in m illim etres.

F ig . 4 Sketch S h o w in g A l t e r n a t e A r r a n g e m e n t of F u r n it u r e
IN S e c o n d a r y / H i g h e r S e c o n d a r y C l a s s r o o m

4.5.4 Rooms shall have, for the admission o f light and air, one or more
apertures, such as windows and fanlights, opening directly to the external
air or into an open verandah. The minimum aggregate areas ( see Note )
o f such openings excluding doors inclusive o f frames shall be not less than
20 percent o f the floor area in case such apertures are located in one wall
and not less than 15 percent o f the floor area in case such apertures are
located on both side walls at the same sill level.

10
 IS : 8827 - 1978

N ote — I f a w indow is partly fixed,, the openable area shall be counted.

4.5.5 The minimum clear distance between the cha]i<board and front
edge of the first row o f desks when chalkboard is in use, shall be 2 200 mm.

TABLES C LASSR O O M FITTINGS

( Clause 4.4 )

Six. FiTTraos ot Ahea R em abks

N'O. U n it s

( H) (2) (3) (4) (5 )

i) Essential Fittings
a) Chalkboard 1 200 m m x 2 400 mm Its base should be
800 mm above the
floor/p 1 a t f o r m
level. T he loca ­
tion o f the chalk­
boards should be
on the w alls a d ja ­
cent to the w'in-
dow w all and
p la ced such that
the m id-vertical
line o f the board
lies between one-
h a lf and two-
thirds the depth
o f the room . This
is to ensure that
the glare due to
window s at stu­
den ts’ seat area is
m inim ized.
b) Cupboard 1*5 m2 Its depth should
not be less than
450 m m . It would
serve as space for
storage o f maps,
display m aterials,
etc.

cl Pin-Board T h ere should be

on e or m ore near
the chalkboard
area or on the side
walls to display
maps, charts, stu­
dents work, etc.

( Continued)

11
IS : 8827 - 1978

TABLE 3 C LASSR O O M FITTINGS — Contd

Sl F it t in g s N u m be r of A rea R em arks
N o. U n it s

( 1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

ii) Fillings When Needed
a) Fans 1 200 m m Arrangement of
diam etev fans and lights in
a classroom is
b ) Light Points shown in Fig. 5

c ) Students’ Desks D epends upon the n um ber o f seats

to be provided and whether the
desks are single or dou ble
iii) Desirable Fittings
a) W ood en Picture 1 Length = Length T h e rail should be
R ail of provided on the
w all w all opposite to
w indows or o p p o ­
site to c h a l k -
board

b) Students’ L ock­ 1 for each A locker for each

ers student student m ay be
provided in case
such an arrange­
m ent in students’
desks is not possi­
ble

5. OTHER TEACHING SPACES

5.1 The recommended areas required for other teaching spaces are given
in Table 4.
5.2 The number o f such teaching spaces should depend upon the enrol­
ment ( size ), category, curriculum and use-efficiency of the school.
5.3 Science Laboratories — The size o f the science laboratories depends
on the following:
a) Dimensions o f children and their space requirements,
b) Flexibility o f arrangement and multiuse o f spaces,
c) Usefulness o f the wall area, and
d) Interrelationship o f auxiliary spaces.
5.3.1 The science laboratories should be designed for 24 seats.
5.3.2 The science theory rooms related to laboratories should be desig­
ned on the basis o f norms for a classroom for higher secondary classes.

n
 A ll dim ensions in m illim etres.

C lass eoom A B

Prim ary 1 600 1 450

Secondary 1800 1 650

F ig . 5 T y p ic a l A r r a n g e m e n t Sh o w in g F a n a n d L ig h t
P o in t s i n P r i m a r y a n d S e c o n d a r y C l a s s r o o m s

13
I S : 8827-1978

TABLE 4 TEA CH IN G SPACES O T H E R T H A N CLASSROOM S

( Clause 5.1 )

Sr, R oom s D is t r ib u t io n T otal

N o. OF A r e a Area

(1) (2) (3) (4)

m2 m2
Physics Laboratory 96
a) Laboratory 65
b) Store-cum -preparation room 15
c) T ea ch er’ s space/room 8
d) Dark room 8
ii) Chemistry Laboratory 96
a) Laboratory 65
b) Store-cum -preparation room 15
c ) T ea ch er’ s space/room 8
d ) B alance room 8
iii) Biology Laboratory 96
a) Laboratory 65
b) Store-cum -preparation room 15
c) T ea ch er’ s spa ce/room
d) M useum
iv) Domestic Science Laboratory 89
a) Laboratory 65
b) Store 8
c) T ea ch er’ s space/room
d) M useum

v) Social Science Room 65 65

V i) Art Room 65 65

vii) Crafts Room 65 65

viii) Activity Room 65 65
ix ) Science Theory Room 50 50

5.3.3 The typical illustrations o f the fittings in the physics and chemistry
laboratories are shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 respectively.

5.3.4 The arrangement o f the fan and light points in the laboratories is
illustrated in Fig. 8.

14
 IS : 8827 - 1978

Fig , 6 T y p i c a l I l l u s t r a t i o n o f a P h y s ic s L a b o r a t o r y

15
I S ; 8827 - 1978

AH d im e n sio n s in m illim e tre s.

F ig , 7 T y p ic a l I l l u s t r a t io n o f a C h e m is t r y L a b o r a t o r y

16
 I S ; 8827 - 1978

r—— 1800- 1650- 1650 -1800-

A ll dimensions in millimetres.

F ig . 8 T y p i c a l A r r a n g e m e n t o f F a n a n d L i g h t P o in t s
IN A L a b o r a t o r y

17
IS : 8827 - 1978

5.4 The social science room, art room, crafts room and activity room
may be designed for 40 students but the area required for these rooms [ see
SI No. ( V to V III ) o f Table 4 ] should be more than the area for the
ordinary classroom for 40 students, in order to accommodate the teaching
equipment, models and activities pertaining to particular subjects.

5.5 Workshops or Vocational Training Facilities — With the intro­

duction o f 10 -f- 2 system, workshops/facilities to impart vocational training
shall be provided in schools being covered under this system. The nature
and number o f such workshops/facilities shall depend upon the curriculum
a particular school chooses to follow. The vocational courses may be
divided in the following two categories:
a) Courses which need only a classroom each for imparting instruc­
tions ( see Appendix A ), and
b) Courses which need a laboratory or a workshop each in addition
to a classroom ( see Appendix A ).
5.5.1 The size o f the laboratories or workshops required for various
vocational courses should be the same as that o f science laboratories given
in Table 4.
5.5.2 The provision of the fittings and fixtures in the workshops or
laboratories for vocational courses in a school shall depend upon the nature
o f the courses being conducted.

6. FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

6.1 The level o f illumination for various visual tasks shall be as given in
Table 5.

TABLE 5 ILLU M IN ATIO N LEVELS ON W O R K

AREAS FO R SCH O OL BUILDINGS

Sr, V is u a l T a s k I l l u m in a t io n L e v e l
N o.
(1) (2) (3)
lux
i) Classroom desk top, 150-300
chalkboards
ii) Laboratories/W orkshops 200-300
iii) Library-reading tables 150-300
iv) D raw ing, typing 300
V) T oilets 150
v i) M an ual training 150

18
 1$ : 8827 - 1978

6.2 Maximum acceptable noise levels in classrooms and other teaching

spaces due to external sources should be 40 dB(A) or equivalent to NC-35.
6.3 Level o f ventilation in the classrooms and other teaching areas shall
be six air changes per hour.
6.4 The orientation o f the building should be in conformity to I S : 7662
(Part I)-1974*.
7. ADMINISTRATIVE SPACES
7.1 Pre-school and Primary School — An area o f about 10 m2 may be
provided for a room for headmistress/headmaster of the school.
7.1.1 Another area o f 10 m^ may be provided for general storage.
7.2 Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools — The provision of areas
for the rooms for the Principal, Vice-Principal, general office, etc, shall
depend upon the total enrolment in the school. The minimum areas for
the various administrative purposes for two categories o f enrolment number
are given in Table 6 for guidance.
7.2.1 Principal's Room — The size of the room for the principal o f the
school may be governed by the space needed for parents’ meeting, waiting
space and space for toilets.
7.2.2 Vice-Principal’s Room — Generally the control o f examination and
records o f the school is looked after by the vice-principal. The space for
his room may be decided taking these factors into account. In case there
is no vice-principal o f the school, the area for the above function may be
provided suitably.
7.2.3 General Office — Apart from the working space for general office
staff, it should provide space for fee collection, student’s contact, parent’ s
contact, etc.
7.2.4 Teaching Staff Area — Staff common room which may contain faci­
lities for lockers for all teachers, office tables and chairs, easy chairs and a
separate toilet facility for staff should be provided in all secondary and
higher secondary schools.
8. STUDENTS’ SPACES
8.1 When designing a school, provision of indoor areas for student activi­
ties appropriate to the level o f school as given in Table 7 shall be
considered.
8.2 There should be provision o f spaces for indoor games either separate
or as a part o f spaces provided at SI No. (i), (vii) and (x) of Table 7.

*R ecom m endations for orientation o f buildings, Part I N on-industrial buildings.

19
1&: 8827 - l97d

TABLE 6 R E C O M M E N D E D A D M IN IST R A T IV E AREAS FO R

S E C O N D A R Y /H IG H E R SE C O N D A R Y SCH OOLS
( Clause 7.2 )

Sl Enrolm ent P r in c ip a l ’s V ic e - G eneral Storage T e a c h in g

N o. N um ber R oom P r in ­ O f f io e A rea S T A F iT A r e a
c ip a l ’ s I n c iu d in g
R oom Staff C om m on
R oom

( 1) (2 ) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7)

m2 m2 i2 i2 m2
Min Min Min Min Min
1. U p to 960 19 29 29 50 1‘ 8 mS per tea­
cher ; for 60%
of teaching
staff)
2. From 960 to 19 33 45 65 1'8 m2 per tea­
1 920 cher ( for 60%
of teach in g
staff)

9. CIRCULATION AREAS
9.1 Circulation areas such as corridors, entrance halls, staircases, etc, in the
school buildings with double loaded and single loaded corridors shall not
be more than 18 percent and 24 percent o f the total covered area o f the
building respectively.

10. OUTDOOR AREAS

10.1 Outdoor areas for a school such as playgrounds, open air assembly,
parking, etc, shall depend upon the following:
a) The size o f the school, and
b) The location o f the school, that is:
1) Urban,
2) Suburban, or
3) Rural.
10.2 For outdoor spaces under lawns, courtyards, etc, an area o f 1 m2 per
student should be provided.
10.3 It is desirable to make a provision for play fields for all categories of
schools. The following areas should be adequate for playing games like
cricket, football, hockey and other Indian games:
a) Pre-School I 000 m2
b) Primary School 4 000 m2, and
c) Secondary/Higher 15 000 m2
Secondary School

20
 IS : 8827 -1978

These spaces may be shared by a few schools in high density areas

foir purpose o f land economy. Regional game preferences and local topo­
graphy shall, however, determine the extent and nature o f play fields.
TABLE 7 IN D O O R AREAS FOR VA R IO U S STU D EN TS’ A C TIV ITIES

( Clauses 8.1 and 8.2 )

SlL R oom A rea R em arks

N o.
(1 ) (2 ) (3) (4)
m*
i) C om m on R o o m s O’ l per student Boys co m m o n room should
( Min 25 m2, Max 100 m^ ) con tain arrangem ents for
sitting or squatting and it
m ay be com bin ed or b e a
part o f canteen itself.
Girls com m on room
should contain in addition
a bench or a coa ch for
ly in g dow n
iS) Canteen O'l per student
( Min 25 m2; Max 100 m2 )
iiii) N G C /A G C /S co u t/ O n e room for ea ch , ll'O m2
G uide area
iw) M ed ica l Inspection 20 to 30 It should con tain facilities
R oom such as a ta b le, a chair,
an exam ination b ed , a
m edicine chest and a wash
basin
v^) B ook /S tation ery Shop 30 to 50
v£) Library 0 ‘ 1 per student R egarding prim ary ele­
( Min 50 m2; Max 150 m 2) ments in the design o f
school library buildings,
1 8 :83 3 8 -1 97 6 * m ay be
referred
v ii) Students’ C lub and 30 to 50 _
House Offices
v i ii) PE T R o o m 45 _
( Physical Education
and Teach in g R o o m )
ix ) Toilets 0 ‘ 2 p er student R egarding provision of
various fittings in toilets.
T a b le 9 m ay be referred.
x') M ultiuse H all 0-65 p er student for 5 0% o f
( O p t io n a l) the strength ( exclu din g
stages )
( Min: 1 4 m x 2 8 m x 5 *5 m ) W ithout stage
( Max: 1 8 m x 3 6 m x 6 m )
’ •‘R ecom m en dations for prim ary elem ents in the design o f school library buildings.

2i
18:8827-1978

10.4 It should be possible to extend the teaching areas in the open space
beyond the classrooms and for this purpose such open spaces should be
designed to provide for chalkboards, raised platforms and outside sitting
arrangements.
10.5 Parking areas for the following should be provided when designing
a school building:
a) Cycles At the rate o f 1•1 m^ per cycle
b) Scooters ,, 3 per scooter
c) Cars „ 25 per car
d) Buses ,, 60 m^ per bus
N o t e — T he designer should ascertain the percentage o f students/staff using
diflferent types o f vehicles and the num ber o f service vehicles com in g to the school
and calcu late the parking area to be provid ed on the basis o f the figures given
above.

11. OVERALL AREA OF SCHOOL

11.1 The built-up area o f school and the overall area of the plot should be
calculated according to provisions given in 4, 5, 7, 9 and Table 8 ( which
gives category-wise the various facilities to be provided ), and building
regulations. However, as a rough guide the following values may be taken
when planning a school.
For Primary For Secondary For Primary
School + Higher Secondary +
Secondary Higher Secon­
School dary School
a) Built-up area (on
all floors ) per
student place:
1) For a school 1*80 m2 3-40 m2 2*60 m2
having four
sections per
class
2) For a school 1-80 m2 4*60 m2 3-20 m2
having two
sections per
class
( The area per student place will decrease when num­
ber o f sections per class increase and vice-versa )
b) Plot area other 2 to 3 times the built-up area ( on all floors) depen­
than play fields ding upon the number o f storeys
c) Play fields According to provisions in 10.3

22
 IS : 8827 - 1978

TABLE 8 P R O VISIO N OF VAR IO U S AREAS IN SCH O OLS OF DIFFERENT CATEGORIES

( Clause 11. 1)
Sl Cate- C U R K IC U L A R C o -C U R R I C U L A B A d m in is t r a t iv e E x t r a -C u r r ic t o a r
No. G O llY ________ A_________ A
________________ ----------------—

Class A rt/ Labs Social Science Craft Library Canteen T oilet NCC M ed ica l Book Students P rincipal’ s 'V ice - O ffice Staff General P lay Grounds
room draw ­ Scien ce/ R oom R oom R oom R oom Shop C om m on R oom Principal’ s C om m on Store
ing G eography R oom R oom R oom
R oom
(1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13) (14) (15) (IG) (!') (18) (19) (20) ( 21 )

1. Nursery V — — — —
V — —
V — Facility m ay - V - V V
be a ccom m o­
2. Prim ary V — — V —
V V —
V — dated in the - V - V V
areas for gen e­
ral store
3. Secondary V V — V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
4. Higher V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V
Secondary

V Indicates area needed.

1%
 lS :8 fi2 7 -1 9 ^ 8

11.2 Set-Back Lines — In the absence o f local building byelaws the

minimum set-backs o f the building from the boundaries shall be as follows:
a) Front set-back 15 metres
b) Side set-back 6 metres
12. SELECTION OF SITE
12.1 While selecting the site o f school buildings, the following points
should be kept in mind:
a) Easy accessibility from residential areas;
b) Site should be away from heavy traffic roads, rivers, ponds,
railway tracks, etc;
c) Site should be away from high tension lines;
d) The land should not be o f made-up ground unless precautions
have been taken for stabilization;
e) Site should ensure a good natural drainage; and
f) The site should preferably be at a quiet place away from places
generating noise and pollution, such as cinemas, factories and
shopping centres.
13. EFFECT OF LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS
13.1 While planning the school building, the importance o f landscape
elements such as open areas, to increase the comfort conditions inside the
building and also in the surrounding environment, should be kept in
mind.
13.2 Plants, hedges and shrubs planted immediately outside the classroom
windows where such windows are the principal source of natural light and
ventilation should not protrude beyond the sill level.
13.3 The rows o f tall or shady trees should be at right angles to the source
o f light to the building in order to avoid glare in the rooms. At the same
time the tall and shady trees, walls, or any obstruction in front o f the class­
room windows should be at a distance to ensure adequate amount of
lighting and ventilation. This distance may be taken equal to the height
o f the building.
14. EXIT REQUIREMENTS
14.1 General — The following general requirements shall apply to exits:
a) All exits shall be free o f obstructions;
b) Exits shall be clearly visible and the routes to reach the exit shall
be clearly marked and sign posted to guide the students to the
floor concerned;
c) All exit ways shall be properly illuminated; and
d) Exits shall be so arranged that they may be reached without
passing through another occupied unit.

25
IS J8627 - 1978

14.2 Types o f Exits

14.2.1 Exits shall be either o f horizontal or vertical type. An exnt

may be a doorway, corridor, an internal or external staircase, ramps oa:
verandahs and/or terraces which have access to the street or to the rocf o>f
a building. An exit may also include a horizontal exit leading to an
adjoining building at the same level.
14.2.2 Lifts and escalators shall not be considered as exits.
14.3 Number and Size o f Exits — The requisite number and size o f
various exits shall be provided, based on the number of students and staiff
in each room area and floor, capacity o f exits, travel distance and height
o f buildings according to provisions in 14.3.1 to 14.3.4.
14.3.1 Arrangement o f Exits — Exits shall be so located that the distance
from an exit to the most remote point in the floor area served by them,
measured along the line o f travel shall in no case be greater than 30 metr&s,
except that where sprinklers are installed throughout a building the
maximum distance o f travel to an exit may be increased by 50 percent.
14.3.1.1 Wherever more than one exit is required for a flocr (of
building, exits shall be placed as remote from each other as possible. All
the exits shall be accessible from entire floor area at all floor levels.
14.3.2 Capacity o f E xits —^The capacity o f exits ( doors and stairways )
indicating the number o f persons that could be safely evacuated through
a unit exit width o f 50 cm shall be as given below:
a) Stairways 25 Numbers
b) Doors 75 Numbers
14.3.3 There shall be a minimum of two staircases and one of them shall
be an enclosed stairway and the other shall be on the external wails of
buildings and shall open directly to the exterior, interior open space or to
any open place o f safety.
14.3.4 Notwithstanding the detailed provision for exits as above the
minimum width for stairways shall be 2'00 metres.
14.4 Other Requirements o f Individual Exits — The detailed require­
ments o f individual exits are given in 14.4.1 to 14.4.6.

14.4.1 Doorways

14.4.1.1 Every exit doorway shall open into an enclosed stairway, a

horizontal exit, on a corridor or passage way providing continuous a.nd
protected means o f egress.

26
 IS : 8827 - 1978

14.4.1.2 No exit doorway shall be less than 100 cm in width. Door­

ways shall be not less than 200 cm in height. Doorways for bathrooms,
water-closet, etc, shall be not less than 75 cm wide.
14.4.1.3 Exit doorways shall open outwards, that is, away from the
room but shall not obstruct the travel along any exit. No door, when
opened, shall reduce the required width o f stairway or landing to less than
90 cm; overhead or sliding doors shall not be installed.
14.4.1.4 Exit door shall not open immediately upon a flight or
stairs; a landing equal to at least the width o f the door slaall be provided
in the stairway at each doorway, level of landing shall be the same as that
o f the floor which it serves.
14.4.2 Stairways
14.4.2.1 Interior stairs shall be constructed o f non-combustible
materials throughout.
14.4.2.2 Interior staircase shall be constructed as a self-contained
unit with at least one side adjacent to an external wall and shall be comp­
letely enclosed.
14.4.2.3 A staircase shall not be arranged round a lift shaft unless
the latter is entirely enclosed by a material o f fire resistance rating as that
for type of construction itself
14.4.2.4 Hollow combustible construction shall not be permitted.
14.4.2.5 The minimum tread shall be 30 cm. The treads shall be
constructed and maintained in a manner to prevent slipping.
14.4.2.6 The maximum height o f riser shall be 15 cm. They shall be
limited to 12 per flight.

14.4.2.7 Handrails shall be provided with a minimum height of

90 cm from the centre o f the tread.
14.4.2.8 The minimum headroom in a passage under the landing of
a staircase and under the staircase shall be 2'2 m.
14.4.3 Fire Escape or External Stairs — For buildings above 15 m in
height fire escape stairs shall be provided subject to the following
conditions:
a) Fire escapes shall not be taken into account in calculating the
evacuation time o f a building.
b) All fire escapes shall be directly connected to the ground.
c) Entrance to fire escape shall be separate and remote from the
internal staircase.

27
I S : 8827 -1978

d) The route to fire escape shall be free of obstructions at all

times, except a doorway leading to the fire escape which shall have
the required fire resistance.
e) Fire escape shall be constructed o f non-combustible materials.
f) Fire escape stairs shall have straight flight not less than 75 cm
wide with 15 cm treads and risers not more than 19 cm. The
number o f risers shall be limited to 16 per flight.
g) Handrails shall be o f a height not less than 90 cm.
14.4.4 Spiral Stairs ( Fire Escape ) — The use of spiral staircase shall be
limited to low occupant load and to a building o f height 9 m, unless they
are connected to platforms, such as balconies and terraces to allow escapes
to pause.
A spiral fire escape shall be not less than 150 cm in diameter and
shall be designed to give adequate headroom.

14.4.5 Ramps
14.4.5.1 Ramps with a slope o f not more than 1 in 10 may be
substituted for and shall comply with all the applicable requirements of
required stairways as to enclosure, capacity and limiting dimensions.
Ramps shall be surfaced with approved non-slipping materials.
14.4.5.2 Handrails shall be provided on both sides of the ramp.
14.4.5.3 Ramps shall lead directly to outside open space at ground
level or courtyards or safe places.

14.4.6 Corridors
14.4.6.1 The minimum width of a corridor shall not be less than
150 cm and actual width shall be calculated based on the provisions given
in 14.3.1 and 14.3.2, as for doorways.
14.4.6.2 In case o f more than one main staircase o f the building
interconnected by a corridor or other enclosed space, there shall be at
least one smoke-stop door across the corridor or enclosed space between
the doors in the enclosing walls o f any two staircases.

15. FIRE PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

15.1 The school buildings shall be designed for safety against fire in
conformity to IS : 2406-1963*.

*C ode o f practice for fire safety o f non-industrial buildings.

28
 I S : 8827 - 1978

15.2 Adequate first-aid fire fighting equipment shall be provided at suitable

positions like corridors, lobbies, halls and outside the building in accor­
dance with IS : 2217-1963*.
15.2.1 The first-aid fire fighting equipment shall be installed and main­
tained in accordance with IS : 2190-1971|.
15.3 Approved manually operated fire alarm facilities shall be provided
in every school building in accordance with Appendix B. Such facilities
shall be tested daily during the school term.

16. W ATER SUPPLY AND SANITARY REQUIREMENTS

16.1 Water Supply Requirements — The arrangements should be
made to supply 45 litres o f water per head per day in school buildings
apart from the requirements of water for fire fighting. The laying and
distribution o f water supply system should be according to provisions given
in IS : 2065-1972$.
16.2 Sanitary Requirements — The requirements for the fitments for
drainage and sanitation in schools should be in accordance with Table 9.
16.3 The selection, installation and maintenance o f sanitary appliances
should be in accordance with IS : 2064-1973§.

♦ R ecom m endations for providin g first-aid fire fighting arrangem ents in p u b lic
buildings.
tC o d e o f practice for selection, installation and m ain ten ance o f portable first-aid fire
a ppliance {Jirsi revision ).
JCode o f practice for w ater supply in buildings {first revision ).
§Code o f practice for selection, installation and m ain ten ance o f sanitary appliances
{first revisiom).

29
 cn
••
TABLE 9 SA N ITA R Y FITTINGS FO R SCH OOLS 09
e>
to
( Clause 16.2 )

Sl F it m e n t s P r e -S c h o o ls S c h o o ls O t h e r T h a n P r e -S c h o o ls
N o.
>vj
For Girls
0»
For Boys
(1) (2 ) (3) (4) (5)

1. W ater-closets 1 per 15 pupils or 1 per 40 pupils or part 1 per 40 pupils

part thereof th ereof or part thereof
<----------------------------------------1 per 30 mem bers o f staff or part th ereof ---------------------------y
2. A blution taps 1 in each w ater- 1 in each water- 1 in ecah water-
closet closet closet
1 water tap with draining arrangements shall be provided for every 50 pu pils or part th ereof
in the vicinity o f water-closets and urinals
3. Urinals — 1 per 20 pupils or Squatting plate
part th ereof urinals
1 per 20 pupils
or part th ereof
1 per 30 members o f staff or part thereof - -----
4. Wash basins 1 per 15 pupils 1 per 40 pupils or 1 per 40 pupils or
or part thereof part thereof part thereof
<------------------------------------------I per 30 members o f staff or part th ereof- --- >
5. Baths 1 bath-sink per —
40 pupils or part
thereof
6. D rin k in g w ater
fountains <r 1 for every 50 pupils or part thereof -
7. C leaner’s sink <r- -------------- 1 per floor, M in ------------------
 I S ; 8827 -1978

APPENDIX A
( Clause 5.5 )

LIST OF VOCATIONAL COURSES

A-1. COURSES WHICH DO NOT REQUIRE WORKSHOPS

A-1.1 Commerce and Business Related Vocations
a) Office Management & Secretarial Practice
b) Stenography
c) Accountancy and Auditing
d) Banking and Insurance
e) Data and Key Punching Processes
f) Marketing and Salesmanship
g) Materials Management
A-1.2 Education
a) Pre-Primary Teacher Training
b) Primary School Teacher Training
c) Physical Education Teacher (Junior ) Training
d) Library Assistant Training
A-2. COURSES WHICH REQUIRE WORKSHOPS
A-:2.1 Agricultural Vocations
a) Dairying
b) Poultry
c) Fisheries
d) Forest Products
e) Basic Course in Fruit & Vegetable Growing
f) Agriculture
g) Small Farm Management
h) A^ro Based Industries — Small processing units of paddy, wheat,
oats and millets, bread, biscuits and cakes
j) Agro Based Industries — Waste utilization — by-products — Paper
making, manufacture o f straw board out o f straw and sugar cane
bagasse
k) Agro Based Industries — Re-cycling o f animal waste
m) Farm Machines and Engineering

31
IS : 8827 - 1978

A-2.2 Engineering and Technical Vocations

a) Basic Electrical Technology
b) Basic Electronic Technology
c) Basic Air-conditioning and Refrigeration Technology
d) Automobile Servicing and Maintenance
e) Elementary Sanitary Technology
f) Laboratory Technician’ s Course
g) Furniture Design and Manufacture
h) Textile Bleaching, Dyeing and Finishing
j) Leather Goods Technology

A-2.3 Vocations Relating to Home Science

a) Food Processing and Preservation
b) Baking and Confectionery
c) Nutrition and Food Preparation
d) Canteen Management ( Small Scale )
e) Dress Designing and Making
f) Textiles and Designs

A-2.4 Health and Para-Medical

a) Multipurpose Health Workers
b) Junior Medical Social Workers
c) Pharmacist’s Course
d) Optometry
A-2.5 Miscellaneous Vocations
a) Tourism
b) Photography
c) Graphic Arts
d) Commercial Arts
e) Music

32
 is : 8827 - 1978

APPENDIX B
( C lause 15.3 )

ALARM SYSTEMS
B-1. GENERAL
Where buildings are divided by separating walls into separate fire
sectilorvs with adequate safeguards against fire spread from one section to
anolther, each section may be considered a separate building for the
purposes o f application o f fire alarm system requirements based on size of
building or population.
B-1.2 All alarm systems and equipment shall be o f approved types suitable
for tthe purpose for which installed.
B-1..3 Alarms systems shall be under the supervision of a responsible
pers.on who shall cause proper tests to be made at specified intervals and
have general charge o f all alterations and additions.
B-1..4 Fire alarm signalling equipment shall be restored to service as
promptly as possible after each test or alarm, and shall be kept in normal
conditions for operation. Equipment requiring rewinding or replenishing
shall be rewound or replenished as promptly as possible after each test or
alarm.
B-1.5 All manually operated sending stations and alarm sounding devices
in a single system shall be o f the same general type.

*B-2. ALARM SENDING STATIONS

B-2.1 Manually operated sending stations shall be provided near all main
exits and in the natural path o f escape from fire, at readily accessible
points which are not likely to be obstructed.
B-2.2 Sending stations shall be so located that from any part of the build­
ing not more than 60 m will have to be traversed in order to reach a
sending station on the same floor or 30 m and one flight o f stairs to reach
a sending station upon another floor located in the natural path of escape
from fire.

B-3- SOUNDING DEVICES

B-3.1 Required sounding devices shall be used for fire alarm purpose only.
B-3.2 Alarm sounding devices shall be provided o f such character and so
distributed as to be effectively heard in every room above all other
sounds.

33
B-3.3 Alarmsoindhg devices shall be distinctive in pitch amd quality
from all othe soincing devices.

B-3.4 Code ugrals indicating where the alarm originates shall not be
used except t) sich extent or as specifically authorized by the authority.

B-3.5 Systens slallbe so arranged that no manual intervention will be

required, fobw hg ;he actuation o f a sending station, for causing effective
response o f al f e f e . KS {Sl£i!iUS5 sliall provided
whereby it isposibe to control or modify such response.

NatioTial Utiit,
I n ..-- ^
^, ,. -, 1 A rninistration

I ' j . : . N o ...................................
-------------------------------------------

34