India's ambition of an inclusive and equitable education system for all has taken a strong step forward with the launch of the Samagra Shiksha in 2018. By collating the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and Teacher Education (TE), the Samagra Shiksha scheme serves as a single, unified umbrella for school education, spanning from pre-primary to Class 12. India is not only trying to bridge gaps and improve learning outcomes, but also to ensure equity in access to education across all socio-economic sections of society.
Overview
This table presents key aspects of the Samagra Shiksha scheme at a glance:
| Feature | Details |
|---|
| Launch Year | 2018 |
| Launched By | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
| Merged Schemes | SSA + RMSA + Teacher Education |
| Target Group | Pre-primary to Class 12 students |
| Implementation Model | Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS) |
| Aligned with | National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 |
| Coverage | 1.5 million schools, over 250 million students |
What Is The Samagra Shiksha Scheme?
The Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan aims to comprehensively improve school education by enhancing accessibility, equity, and quality. It provides holistic support across all levels of education through administrative and financial integration. The implementation of the scheme will assist states in prioritising learning outcomes, digital education, skill education, and infrastructure development under a single funding and administrative mechanism.
The integrated approach reduces duplication of effort, improves accountability, and makes it easier for India to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which is “Quality Education for All.”
Objectives
Before diving into the interventions, we need to understand what Samagra Online aims to achieve. The Sarkari scheme has listed these objectives broadly as follows:
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Improve the overall effectiveness of schools through quality-related initiatives.
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Promote inclusive and equitable education.
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Enhance the learning outcomes of all children at all levels of school.
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Support states to effectively implement the National Education Policy.
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Strengthen Digital and Vocational components.
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Bridge the gender and social gaps in education access.
Interventions Under The Samagra Shiksha Scheme
To achieve its goals, the Samagra Shiksha offers various targeted interventions that touch on many aspects of the schooling system, including everything from infrastructure to pedagogy.
To list some of the areas this scheme covers:
| Intervention Area | Key Activities/Initiatives |
|---|
| Access & Retention | Opening of new schools, strengthening existing schools, transport facilities, residential schools, and special training for out-of-school children |
| Equity | Focus on girl education, inclusive education for CWSN (Children With Special Needs), SC/ST/minority outreach programmes |
| Quality Education | Curriculum reform, development of learning outcomes, teacher training, and remedial teaching |
| Teacher Education | Upgrading SCERTs and DIETs, annual in-service teacher training, and leadership training for principals |
| Vocational Education | Introduction of vocational courses in secondary schools, hands-on skills, and industry tie-ups |
| ICT in Education | Smart classrooms, computer-aided learning, and digital infrastructure |
| Sports & Physical Education | Grants for sports kits, organisation of sports activities in schools |
| Infrastructure Development | Classrooms, libraries, toilets, ramps, boundary walls |
| Early Childhood Care & Education | Support to pre-primary sections, ECCE training for Anganwadi/primary teachers, and foundational literacy |
| Girl Education Support | Expansion of KGBV (Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya), awareness campaigns, free uniforms and sanitary napkins |
Major Features
Let's delve deeper into the significant features that make Samagra Shiksha Portal a transformative intervention in India's education space:
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Unique Administrative Arrangement: Convenient implementation and functioning of policies through one nodal department.
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Outcome Focused Monitoring: Based on facts and real-time data, outcomes reporting, and performance-based grants.
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Autonomy for States: Allows for decentralised planning, ensuring agendas and plans match regional needs.
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Digital See More Focus: Digital learning and teaching (mobile apps) project, a common teacher training portal.
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Public Private Partnerships (PPP): not only access to the private sector, bringing with them funding, but also adding value to innovation.
What Is The Funding Pattern Of The Samagra Shiksha Scheme?
What will help determine interventions is funding. Below is the source of funding from the Centre and States:
| Region | Centre’s Share | State’s Share |
|---|
| General States | 60% | 40% |
| North-Eastern & Himalayan States | 90% | 10% |
| Union Territories (with legislature) | 60% | 40% |
| Union Territories (without legislature) | 100% | 0% |
In FY 2023-24, the government allocated over ₹37,453 crore to this scheme, showing a consistent increase over the years.
About Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2.0
In line with the NEP 2020, the Ministry of Education launched the Samagra Shiksha 2.0 scheme in 2021. This revision will see a focus on achieving full universal foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) and includes things such as NIPUN Bharat to provide the vision for teachers and students to learn.
Some of the main features of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2.0
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Foundational Literacy Mission: Full implementation of NIPUN Bharat in all states and UTs by 2026-27.
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From Pre-School to Grade 12: Curricular and learning outcomes where there is an alignment and continuity of learning from Early Childhood Education (ECCE) to the senior secondary level.
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Digital Infrastructure Expansion: Integration with PM e-Vidya, DIKSHA, and other platforms.
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Greater Focus on Inclusive Classrooms: Greater focus on children with special needs (CWSN) and gender inclusiveness and equity.
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Greater Capacity Building: The new scheme will have regular in-service training support for teachers and academic resources for teacher learning.
Conclusion
Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan has heralded a paradigm shift in India's education policy that has integrated a compartmental system through the offering of a holistic form to students in a student-friendly manner. It is more than establishing schools or educating educators; it is a dream which realises that no child can be behind, no matter where they are located in India, their caste or background, or how competent they are. The Samagra Shiksha scheme also follows the transparency of the convergence of learning outcomes, inclusion and digitalisation to cater to the needs of the huge youthful population of India.
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