Samagra Shiksha Scheme: From budget allocation to goals, all you need to know

The scheme treats school education as a continuum and is in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education (SDG-4).

Every child in the country deserves to be educated and the policymakers in the country, along with the government, should introduce schemes for the benefit of all.

As per the government, the scheme covers 1.16 million schools, over 156 million students and 5.7 million Teachers of Govt. and Aided schools (from pre-primary to senior secondary level). (HT File Photo for representation)

The Samagra Shiksha scheme introduced by the government in the Union Budget 2018-19 announced that school education would be treated holistically and without segmentation from pre-primary to class XII.

About the scheme:

The scheme treats school education as a continuum and is in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goal for Education (SDG-4).

Policymakers have made sure that the scheme is in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and provides support for the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.

Aim:

The scheme aims to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an inclusive classroom environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process, mentioned the official website.

As per the government, the scheme covers 1.16 million schools, over 156 million students and 5.7 million Teachers of Govt. and Aided schools (from pre-primary to senior secondary level).

The following are the objectives of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme:

• Implementing the recommendation of NEP 2020
• Supporting States & UTs in implementing RTE Act, 2009
• Focus on Early Childhood Care and Education
• Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
• Thrust on Holistic, Integrated, Inclusive and activity based Curriculum and Pedagogy
• Provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students
• Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education
• Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education
• Strengthening and up-gradation of SCERTs/SIE and DIETs
• Ensuring safe, secure and conducive learning environment and minimum standards in schooling provisions;
• Promoting vocationalisation of education

How the scheme will be implemented:

The Scheme will be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme by the Department through a single State Implementation Society (SIS) at the State/UT level. At the National level, there would be a Governing Council headed by Minister of Education and a Project Approval Board (PAB) headed by Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy.

The fund sharing pattern for the scheme between Centre and States is at present in the ratio of 90:10 for the 8 North-Eastern States viz. Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura and 3 Himalayan States viz. Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and 60:40 for all other States and Union Territories with Legislature. It is 100% centrally sponsored for Union Territories without Legislature.

Budget 2025 allocation:

In the Union Budget 2025, Samagra Shiksha initiatives under the National Education Mission received an allocation of ₹41250 crores. The total outlay saw an increase when compared to the previous budget where the scheme was granted ₹37010 crores.