Lok Sabha Question No. 3496 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-08
Subject: Universalisation of Elementary Education
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Rahul Ramesh Shewale, Pritam Gopinath Munde, Chandra Sekhar Sahu, Girish Bhalchandra Bapat

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOL EDUCATION & LITERACY

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3496 TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2022

## Universalisation of Elementary Education

3496. SHRI RAHUL RAMESH SHEWALE: DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE: SHRI CHANDRA SEKHAR SAHU: SHRI GIRISH BHALCHANDRA BAPAT:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  it  is  true  that  the  Samagra  Shiksha  Abhiyan  (SSA)  has  achieved  the  set targets to establish the Universalisation of Elementary Education (UEE);
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons for the same;
- (c) the details of the budgetary allocation, funds released for the 'Quality Interventions' component of the SSA during each of the last three years along with the details of the funds actually utilized thereunder;
- (d)  the  extent  to  which  the  targets  of  SSA  have  been  affected  during  Covid-19 Pandemic; and
- (e) the steps taken/proposed to be taken by the Central Government under the SSA in order to mitigate the effects of the Covid-19 Pandemic in States, particularly in Odisha?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SMT. ANNPURNA DEVI)

(a)  to  (e):  Education  is  in  the  Concurrent  List  of  the  Constitution  and  majority  of  the schools come under the purview of the respective State and UT Government.

However,  the  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy,  through  the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Samagra Shiksha provides financial assistance to the States and UTs for carrying out various interventions of the scheme to ensure that all children  have  access  to  quality  education  with  an  equitable  and  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.

All children studying in government, government aided and local bodies schools across the country get benefitted from the Samagra Shiksha scheme.

Under  the  scheme,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  States  and  UTs  for undertaking various activities for universalisation of school education, including opening/strengthening  of  new  schools  upto  senior  secondary  level,  construction  of school  buildings  &  additional  classrooms,  setting  up,  up-gradation  and  running  of Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika  Vidyalayas,  setting  up  of  Netaji  Subhash  Chandra  Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas, free uniforms to eligible children and free text books at elementary level, transport allowance and undertaking enrolment & retention drives. Further, 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 centres at worksites, transport/ escort facility are also supported to bring out  of  school  children  to  the  formal  schooling  system.  Further,  under  the  student oriented component for the children with special needs, financial assistance is provided for  identification  and assessment of children with special needs, aids and appliances, braille kits and books, appropriate teaching learning material and stipend to girl students with disability etc.

Under the scheme, lump sum funds are released to the States for implementing various interventions of the scheme including quality interventions.  The fund released and expenditure incurred under Samagra Shiksha are as under:

(₹ In cr.)

| Year    |   Release |   Expenditure |
|---------|-----------|---------------|
| 2018-19 |   29240   |       44875.4 |
| 2019-20 |   32326.8 |       48116.3 |
| 2020-21 |   27759.5 |       45586.1 |
| 2021-22 |   24873.2 |       43413.2 |

Note: Expenditure Includes Expenditures against funds released by Central Government, State Share, unspent balances of previous years etc.

The  Department  of  School  Education  &  Literacy  has,  in  order  to  prevent  drop outs,  lower  enrolments  and  loss  of  learning,  issued  guidelines  on  13 th   July,  2020  for identification, smooth admission process and continued education of migrant children.

Further, 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, Ministry of Education has shared guidelines dated 7 th  January, 2021 with all States & UTs which, 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.

Also, a comprehensive Covid action plan  has been shared with the States and UTs on 4th  May  2021,  outlining  the  role  of  local  bodies,  formation  of  nodal  group  at village/town level, conducting door-to-door/helpdesk-based/app based survey to identify out of school children, their mainstreaming and resource sharing.

This Department has also developed an online module for compiling the data of Out  of  School  Children  (OoSC)  identified  by  each  State/UT  and  their  mapping  with

Special  Training  Centres  (STC)  on  the  PRABANDH  Portal  (http://samagrashiksha.in). The concerned State/UT validates the child wise information of the identified OoSC and STC uploaded by the concerned Block Resource Centre of the State for monitoring the progress of mainstreaming of OoSC.

Further, during the pandemic, the Ministry of Education has taken various steps for  providing  continued  access  to  education,  which  are  available  to  each  category  of students irrespective of their  region  or economic standard. A comprehensive initiative called PM  e-Vidya  has  been  started  which  aims  to  unify  all  efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable multi-mode access to education. The initiative includes all forms of digital modes to provide wide access- DIKSHA (online), SWAYAM (online),  SWAYAM  PRABHA  (TV),  other  TV  Channels  including  use  of  Doordarshan and  AIR  Networks.  Further,  an  Alternate  Academic  Calendar  has  been  prepared  for learning  solutions  for  grade  1  to  12  for  both  children  with  and  without  device.  Also, PRAGYATA  guidelines  were  issued  to  States/UTs  to  facilitate  continued  education through  various  modes.  The  guidelines  inter-alia  include  situation  where  internet connectivity is not available or available with very less bandwidth, resources are shared through various platforms like television, radio etc. that do not depend on internet.

Also,  to  bridge  the  learning  gaps  and  to  ensure  continuity  of  education,  this Department has shared a comprehensive Learning Recovery Plan with all the states and Union Territories on 01.02.2022 describing the actions/ activities to be undertaken by  all  the  stakeholders,  indicative  annual  calendar  of  activities,  existing  interventions which can be utilized and additional support with funds as one time measure.

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