Executive Summary:
The Ministry of Education addresses disparity in school education due to gender and social status via the Samagra Shiksha scheme, effective since 2018-19, aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. NEP 2020 focuses on equitable and inclusive education, prioritizing Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs), including girls. The scheme aims to bridge social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes, with gender as a cross-cutting priority.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Samagra Shiksha Scheme:**
* Aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels.
* Focuses on bridging gender and social category gaps.
* Targets girls and children belonging to SEDGs.
* **Interventions for Girls' Education:**
* Free uniforms and textbooks for girls up to Class VIII.
* Appointment of additional teachers, including women.
* Stipends for CWSN (Children With Special Needs) girls from Class I to XII.
* Separate toilets for girls.
* Teacher sensitization programs to promote girls' participation.
* Gender-sensitive teaching-learning materials, including textbooks.
* **Residential Schools:**
* Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV): Residential schools from Class VI to XII for girls belonging to SEDGs in Educationally Backward Blocks.
* Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya (NSCBAV): Sanctioned in remote, sparsely populated, and difficult-to-reach areas, prioritizing girls, urban deprived, and other disadvantaged children.
* **State-Specific Projects:**
* Emphasize varied interventions under equity to enhance access, retention, and quality for girls.
* Include enrolment drives, retention and motivation camps, and gender sensitization modules.
* Cover life skills, awareness programs, incinerators, and sanitary pad vending machines.
* **Rajasthan Initiatives:**
* 316 KGBVs and 41 NSCBAVs are established.
* Adolescent Girls Program and Rani Laxmibai Self-Defense program are conducted for girls in Classes VI-XII in government schools.
Impact Analysis:
* **Girls and SEDGs:**
* *Impact:* Increased access to quality education and improved learning outcomes through targeted interventions.
* *Action Required:* Participate in available programs and utilize resources provided under the Samagra Shiksha scheme.
* **Schools and Educators:**
* *Impact:* Required to implement Samagra Shiksha guidelines and interventions, promoting gender equality and inclusivity.
* *Action Required:* Implement the scheme's provisions, including providing free resources, conducting sensitization programs, and ensuring access to facilities like separate toilets.
* **State Governments and Local Community Organizations:**
* *Impact:* Partner with the Ministry of Education to achieve gender equality in education.
* *Action Required:* Support the implementation of Samagra Shiksha, conduct state-specific projects, and monitor the progress of girls' education.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Education: The central government ministry responsible for education in India.
National Education Policy NEP, 2020: A comprehensive framework for education in India, introduced in 2020, aiming at transforming the education system.
Samagra Shiksha: An Integrated Scheme for School Education to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education.
Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups SEDGs: A category of individuals facing disadvantages due to their social and economic background, including female individuals.
Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas KGBV: Residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to SEDGs, sanctioned in Educationally Backward Blocks.
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya NSCBAV: Residential schools sanctioned in remote, sparsely populated and difficult to reach areas, hilly terrains, areas affected by LWE.
Rajasthan: A state in India where specific educational initiatives and programs are being conducted, including the operation of KGBVs and NSCBAVs.
Rajsamand, Beawar and Nagaur districts of Rajasthan: Districts in Rajasthan, specifically mentioned as locations where educational efforts are being made.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 97
ANSWERED ON 21/07/2025
Disparity in getting School Education
†97. Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar:
Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government is taking steps to overcome disparity in getting school education due to
gender and social status differences;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of efforts being made for improvement in Girls’ education during the last five years in the
country particularly in Rajsamand, Beawar and Nagaur districts in Rajasthan?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION
(SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)
(a) to (c): The Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education is
implementing Samagra Shiksha - an Integrated Scheme for School Education, effective from 2018-
19, aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education and has
been aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. NEP, 2020
focuses on ‘Equitable and Inclusive Education’ which reverberates the idea that no child should be left
behind in terms of educational opportunity because of their background and socio-cultural identities. It
has taken into account the concerns of the Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which
includes female individuals. In addition, NEP prescribes to approach gender as a cross-cutting priority
to achieve gender equality in education with the partnership of states and local community organizations.
Further, NEP aims at bridging the social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes,
including providing greater access to women.
Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of School Education is one of the major
objectives of Samagra Shiksha. The scheme reaches out to girls, and children belonging to SEDGs.
Under Samagra Shiksha, various interventions have been targeted for providing quality education to
girls like free uniform and text-books to girls up to class VIII, appointment of additional teachers
including women teacher, stipend to CWSN girls from class I to class XII, separate toilets for girls,
teacher’s sensitization programs to promote girls’ participation, gender-sensitive teaching-learning
materials including text books etc.In addition, to reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education, Kasturba Gandhi Balika
Vidyalayas (KGBV), which are residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to SEDGs,
are sanctioned in Educationally Backward Blocks. Moreover, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya
Vidyalaya (NSCBAV) are sanctioned in remote, sparsely populated and difficult to reach areas, hilly
terrains, areas affected by LWE, large uninhabited areas with natural barriers like forests, waterways,
rivers, etc., with the primary purpose of reaching out to girls, urban deprived and other disadvantaged
children.
Further, special state specific projects for varied interventions under equity are also emphasized
under Samagra Shiksha for enhancing access, retention and quality for girls by promoting enrolment
drives, retention and motivation camps, gender sensitization modules etc. Such projects include life
skills, awareness programmes, incinerators, sanitary pad vending machines etc.
All the aforesaid programs are being conducted in all States and UTs including Rajsamand, Beawar
and Nagaur districts of Rajasthan. In Rajasthan, there are 316 KGBVs and 41 NSCBAV. Also,
Adolescent Girls Program and Rani Laxmibai Self Defense program are conducted for all the girls of
class 6-12 studying in government schools.
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