India To Launch National RFID School Bus Tracking System To Ensure Child Safety

In a major step towards improving student safety, India is set to introduce a national tracking and monitoring system for school buses using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology.

The initiative, led by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, aims to let parents and school authorities track children in real time and ensure safer travel across the country.

According to officials familiar with the development, the BIS will undertake a research project to design a standardised, Internet of Things (IoT)-based intelligent transport system for school buses.

Once implemented, the move will mark the first time India introduces a nationally standardized electronic model for school bus tracking. Similar systems are already in use in countries such as the US, China, and Singapore, where RFID and GPS technologies enhance student transportation safety.

India currently has 248 million students enrolled in 1.47 million schools, as per the Economic Survey 2024–25. The new framework is expected to draw from international examples to improve monitoring and ensure safe and efficient travel for schoolchildren.

At present, several private and premium schools in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad use GSM or GPS-based tracking systems independently. The national standard will bring uniformity and security to such systems across the education network.