Parliament Question: Objectives of Samagra Shiksha scheme

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO- 4199 ANSWERED ON- 01.04.2026 OBJECTIVES OF SAMAGRA SHIKSHA SCHEME 4199 Shri R. Dharmar: Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) the objectives and key components of the Samagra Shiksha scheme; (b) the total funds allocated and utilized under the Samagra Shiksha scheme in the last three years within Tamil Nadu; (c) the steps taken to ensure that the scheme reaches rural, remote and economically backward areas; (d) the steps taken to bridge the gender gap and ensure equitable access to education for girl child, children with disabilities and marginalized communities under the scheme; (e) whether Government plans to expand or reform the Samagra Shiksha scheme to address emerging challenges such as digital literacy, online education and the impact of the pandemic on education; and (f) if so, the details thereof? ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY) (a): The major objectives of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme are: (i) Support States and UTs in implementing the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020); (ii) Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009; (iii) Focus on Early Childhood Care and Education; (iv) Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; (v) Thrust on Holistic, Integrated, Inclusive and activity based Curriculum and Pedagogy to impart 21st century skills among the students; (vi) Provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students; (vii) Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education; (viii) Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education; (ix) Strengthening and up-gradation of State Councils for Educational Research andTraining (SCERTs)/State Institutes of Education and District Institutes for Education and Training (DIET) as nodal agency for teacher training; (x) Ensuring safe, secure and conducive learning environment and maintenance of standards in schooling provisions and (xi) Promoting skill education. The Key components of Samagra Shiksha are: (i) Early Childhood Care and Education; (ii) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; (iii) Universal Access including Infrastructure Development and Retention; (iv) RTE Entitlements including uniforms, textbooks etc.; (v) Quality and Innovation; (vi) Financial support for Teacher Salary; (vii) Appointment of language Teachers; (viii) Gender and Equity; (ix) Inclusive Education; (x) Strengthening of Teacher Education Institutions and Training; (xi) Skill Education; (xii) ICT and Digital Initiatives; (xiii) Sports and Physical Education; (xiv) Monitoring and Programme Management and (xv) National Component. (b): The Approved Central share and Central share Released under the Samagra Shiksha scheme to the State of Tamil Nadu during the last three years is as under: (₹ in lakhs) Year Approved Central share Central share Released 2022-23 2,11,759.90 2,10,723.33 2023-24 2,12,764.72 1,87,615.54 2024-25 2,15,315.01 36,281.00* *Central share for FY 2024-25 released in FY 2025-26. (c): Samagra Shiksha prioritises creation of intangible infrastructure and delivery of holistic and qualitative education in rural, remote, economically backward areas and aspirational districts/blocks. This outreach is reflected in the Annual Work Plan & Budget proposals prepared by the respective State/UT as per their requirement and priority. These plans are then appraised/approved by the Project Approval Board in the Department in consultation with the respective State and UT based on physical and financial progress of the works sanctioned earlier and availability of budgetary resources. (d): Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of school education is one of the major objectives of Samagra Shiksha. In order to ensure greater participation of girls in school education, Samagra Shiksha promotes opening of schools in theneighbourhood to make access easier for girls, free uniform to eligible girls and text- books to girls up to Class VIII, additional teachers and residential quarters for teachers in remote/hilly areas, appointment of additional teachers including women teachers, stipend to CWSN girls from class 1 to class XII, separate toilets for girls, teachers sensitization programmes to promote girls participation, gender-sensitive teaching- learning materials including text books. In addition, to reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education and ensure access and quality education to girls, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) - which are residential schools for girls are operational. Inclusive Education component of Samagra Shiksha, provides support to CwSN via specific student-oriented interventions such as identification and assessment camps, provision of aids, appliances and assistive devices, scribe, transportation and escort allowance support, Braille books and large print books, stipend for girls with special needs and teaching-learning materials etc. in order to appropriately address their unique educational requirements in general schools. Further, individualized support is also provided through therapeutic interventions at the block level. Samagra Shiksha also has provisions for creation of differently-abled friendly infrastructure such as ramps with handrails and differently-abled friendly toilets for barrier free access in schools. Under the scheme, financial assistance is provided to States and UTs for undertaking various activities for universalization of school education, including for marginalized communities. These activities, inter-alia, include opening/strengthening of new schools upto senior secondary level, construction of school buildings & additional classrooms, development/strengthening of school infrastructure in border areas under Vibrant Village Programme through the convergence of existing scheme of DOSEL, setting up, construction of hostels for PVTGs under PM-JANMAN, setting up of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, construction of hostels under Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan for unsaturated ST population, free uniforms to eligible children and free text books at elementary level, transport allowance and undertaking enrolment & retention drives. Special training for age- appropriate admission of out of school children and residential as well as non- residential training for older children, seasonal hostels / residential camps, special training centers at worksites, transport/ escort facility etc. are also supported to bring out of school children to the formal schooling system.(e) & (f): Under existing Samagra Shiksha framework, following initiatives have been taken to address digital literacy, online education and to mitigate the effects of pandemic on education: • Digital Initiative - PM eVidya - unifies all efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education across the country. PM eVidya includes 200 DTH TV Channels allotted to States/UTs/Autonomous Bodies (ABs)/Other Ministries in Government of India and 400 Radio channels to enable them to provide supplementary education as per their requirement in various Indian languages for classes 1-12. Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) is the Nation’s One Nation, One Digital platform for providing quality e-content for school education in States/UTs along with QR coded Energised Textbooks (ETBs) for all grades. • Provision for financial assistance to States/UTs, including rural and backward regions, inter-alia for setting up of ICT labs and smart classrooms in Government and Government Aided Schools having classes VI to XII for non- recurring/recurring grant under ‘ICT and Digital Initiatives’. In order to mitigate the impact of challenges due to pandemic for migrant children and for preventing drop outs, lower enrolments and loss of learning, the Ministry of Education issued guidelines for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children on 13.07.2020. To ensure that children have access to education with quality and equity and to minimize the impact of the pandemic on school education in the country, the Department of School Education had prepared and issued detailed guidelines on 7th January, 2021, on the steps to be taken by the States and UTs. The guidelines, among others, include identification of out of school children from age 6-18 years, enrolment drives and awareness generation, student support while schools are closed, continued education for children with Special Needs (CWSN), student support on school reopening and Teacher capacity building. The Department of School Education and Literacy vide letter dated 4th May, 2021 had shared a comprehensive Covid Action plan with States/UTs and other stakeholders for mitigating the loss of learning. ****