Proximity-Based School Mapping Using Google Maps Place API

Using Google Maps to bring transparency and proximity-based fairness to school admissions under Right to Education in India

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Inspiration

This project is part of a comprehensive School Mapping Module developed under a Management Information System (MIS) for state education departments in India. The platform supports the implementation of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which mandates a 25% seat reservation in private schools for children from Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of society. These admissions are conducted through a digital lottery system (randomised selection of students) to ensure transparency and fairness for thousands of student applicants.

School mapping plays a pivotal role in determining the lottery outcomes. The process matches each student with nearby eligible schools based on geolocation data provided during the application. By ensuring that students are allotted schools closest to their residence, the platform helps increase enrollment, reduce dropout rates, and improve attendance—especially among first-generation learners. For many families, shorter commute times are not only convenient but also essential for sustained participation in schooling.

While working with the State Governments of India to bridge the gaps in the implementation, this digital solution needs to be built with the state's internal tech capacities and resources in mind. These systems always maintain a balance between technology and sustainability. To ensure this, the MIS is developed on the same tech stack that is most viable for state governments.

What it does

The platform leverages Google Maps Place API to retrieve real-time, accurate geolocation data across administrative units—villages, wards, blocks, and districts. During application, both the student’s and the school’s locations are captured using latitude and longitude coordinates. The system then:

  • Automatically calculates the distance between the student’s location and nearby schools.
  • Maps the student to the closest eligible school, optimizing accessibility.
  • Integrates Google's Autocomplete Search API to improve searchability and ease-of-use for applicants and parents—especially those in rural areas. This seamless mapping reduces manual errors and eliminates the potential for human bias in the school allotment process.

How I built it

We built the frontend using AngularJS, along with HTML/CSS, and implemented the geolocation logic using the Google Maps JavaScript API through the ngMap directive.

Key steps in our implementation:

  • AngularJS Inclusion: AngularJS was included in the HTML via npm.
  • ngMap Integration: The ngMap directive was added along with the Google Maps JavaScript API to enable declarative map building.
  • Map Rendering: Maps were rendered with student and school coordinates using custom markers.

html

CopyEdit

<ng-map center="[latitude, longitude]" zoom="12">

  <marker position="[latitude, longitude]" title="Our Location"></marker>

</ng-map>
  • The backend logic uses coordinate data to compute distances and determine the closest eligible school for each applicant.

Challenges I ran into

  • The Google Maps Autocomplete API is not region-restricted. When users search for locations, suggestions sometimes include irrelevant places from outside the state, causing confusion and selection errors.
  • Ensuring address accuracy for geolocation in areas with low digital literacy required thoughtful UI/UX and additional field validations.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

  • 5834 schools in Odisha used the maps for registering their location.
  • 83884 students have been mapped to schools near their vicinity in Odisha, in collaboration with the state government, in the last 5 years.. 2025: 24160 2024: 24249 2023: 17745 2022: 12862 2021: 4868
  • The extensive load of manually mapping thousands of students with schools (on Excel) was made easier, enabling smoother, faster, and fairer school admissions through technology, reducing both operational complexity and citizen grievances.

What's next for Proximity-Based School Mapping Using Google Maps Place API

  • Enhancing the UI/UX for map-based inputs, especially for low-literacy users.
  • Automating and validating address proof-based geolocation to further reduce manual errors and manipulation risks.
  • Adding offline location tagging support for users in low-connectivity areas.
  • Expanding the platform for use in other government schemes where location-based service delivery is critical.

Dummy Credentials:

  • District : Khurdha
  • School admin Number : 9337334080
  • UDISE code : 21171312501
  • Password : Beo@123

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