Lok Sabha Question No. 194 (STARRED), answered on 2024-08-05
Subject: Review of School Education and Literacy
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar, Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF SCHOOLEDUCATION AND LITERACY

## LOKSABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO-194 ANSWERED ON -05/08/2024

## REVIEW OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

- †*194 Shri Omprakash Bhupalsinh Alias Pavan Rajenimbalkar: Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has carried out a review of school education and literacy in coordination with the States and Union Territories (UTs), if so, the names of the States and UTs participated in the review meeting;
- (b) the details of the outcome of the review meetings and the action taken by the Government on the suggestions received during the review meetings;
- (c) the details of the progress made in aligning the major schemes of the Government such as Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Prime Minister's Scheme for Rising India (PMSHRI), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) and Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) with the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020; and
- (d) whether the Government has urged the States and UTs to work as a team towards strengthening the educational ecosystem, if so, the reaction of the States and UTs thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF EDUCATION (SHRI DHARMENDRA PRADHAN)

- (a) to (d): A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.

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## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (d) OF LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 194 ANSWERED ON 05.08.2024 ASKED BY SHRI OMPRAKASH BHUPALSINH ALIAS PAVAN RAJENIMBALKAR, SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT, HON'BLE MPs REGARDING REVIEW OF SCHOOL EDUCATION AND LITERACY

(a) & (b) Yes, Sir, the Department has been conducting review meetings with States/UTs to discuss the progress and issues related to the implementation of various schemes & interventions of the Department like Samagra Shiksha, STARS, PM-SHRI, PM-POSHAN, ULLAS, etc. The review meetings are attended by senior officers of Education Departments of all States/UTs/Autonomous Bodies regularly. The review meeting enables the Department to address and rectify bottlenecks faced by States/UTs while implementing the Schemes, ensure handholding of States/UTs for their effective guidance, learn from best practices devised by States/UTs, ensure better interaction/coordination with field functionaries etc. The minutes / proceedings are shared with the States/UTs. This is a continuous and reciprocal process ensuring a robust and regular handholding mechanism for the States/UTs for smooth implementation of the schemes.

(c) The Department of School Education and Literacy is implementing various Centrally Sponsored Schemes for School Education:

Samagra Shiksha It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education. Samagra Shiksha is implemented in partnership with all the States and UTs and financial assistance is provided to all States and UTs for various components. The scheme has now been redesigned aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) and continued till 2025-26. Samagra Shiksha supports new pedagogical and curricular structure of school education (5+3+3+4): 3 years in Anganwadi/pre-school and 12 years in school.

It aims 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 and different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process. New interventions which have been incorporated in the revamped Samagra Shiksha scheme based on the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 like, Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE), Support for NIPUN Bharat, Elementary level, Secondary level, Quality and Innovation at all levels, Equity and Inclusion, Vocational Education, ICT and Digital Initiatives, Holistic Progress Card (HPC), Support for Social Audit, Scheme of 'DIETs of Excellence', Provision for Academic Resource Person at each block for Career Guidance & Counselling, Support for activities of PARAKH, the national assessment centre set up at NCERT, upgradation of Kasturba Gandhi Vikas Vidyalayas (KGBV) upto class XII.

PM-POSHAN Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) is one of the foremost rights based Centrally Sponsored Scheme implemented in partnership with the States and UTs which has been approved for continuation in schools for the five-year period from 2021-22 to 2025-26. The overall responsibility for smooth functioning of the scheme including providing hot cooked and nutritious meal to the eligible children lies with the State Governments and Union Territory Administrations. The objectives of the Scheme are to address two of the pressing problems for majority of children in India, viz. hunger and education by:

- i. Improving the nutritional status of children studying in Bal Vatika and classes I VIII in Government and Government-aided schools and Special Training Centres (STCs).
- ii. Encouraging poor children, belonging to disadvantaged sections, to attend school more regularly and help them concentrate on classroom activities.
- iii. Providing nutritional support to children of elementary stage in drought affected areas during summer vacation and during disaster times.

Under PM POSHAN, on every school day one hot cooked fresh and nutritious meal is served to every student in Government and Government Aided schools across the Nation.

-  Significant revisions have been made to Scheme in 2019-20 and the following new components were added :
- i) Repair of kitchen-cum-stores
- ii) Flexibility component : to provide supplementary nutrition items and setting up of School Nutrition Gardens

The Scheme has been extended to cover students of Bal Vatika in 2021.

PM-SHRI : The Cabinet has approved a Centrally Sponsored Scheme named Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) on 7th September, 2022. These schools are to showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood. Under the scheme, there is a provision of setting up of more than 14,500 PM SHRI Schools by strengthening the existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central government/State/UT Government/local bodies. PM SHRI Scheme is being implemented by saturating all the components of NEP 2020 such as Bala feature and Jadui Pitara, Support at Pre-school Education, Child Friendly Furniture, Outdoor Play Materials etc. in Primary and Elementary Schools and Furniture, Fully equipped integrated Science Lab/Physics Lab/Chemistry Lab/ Biology Lab, Smart Classrooms, Computer Lab/ ICT Lab, Atal Tinkering Lab, Skill Lab, School innovation Councils, Playground with well-equipped sports facilities etc. for secondary and senior secondary schools.

ULLAS The Government of India has approved a centrally sponsored innovative scheme called Nav Bharat Saksharta Karyakram, popularly known as ULLAS: Understanding of Lifelong Learning for All in Society. The scheme aligns with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to empower those adults aged 15 years and above who could not get due schooling. The scheme consists of five components: (i) Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, (ii) Critical Life Skills, (iii) Basic Education, (iv) Vocational Skills (v) Continuing Education.

The scheme is aligned with the NEP 2020 and is based on volunteerism and is implemented by the States/ UTs. The implementation of the scheme is carried out through Samajik Chetna Kendras that are set up in government /aided schools.

As part of the scheme, learners are encouraged to access online content in their local languages through the ULLAS app. By accessing content in their local languages, learners can experience improved comprehension, engagement, cultural relevance, language development, inclusivity, and the development of higher-order thinking skills. This comprehensive approach to language learning contributes to enhanced overall learning outcomes.

(d) Education is a subject in the concurrent list of the Constitution, majority of the schools and teachers in the country are under the administrative control of the State Governments and UT Administrations. The Department of School Education & Literacy is responsible for policies surrounding school education in the country and is implementing various Centrally Sponsored Schemes. The States/UTs play an equal and pivotal role in conceptualization, implementation and realization of such schemes at the grass root level. It is the collective responsibility of the Centre and State Governments that the standardized unified education system of India along-with the regional variations of the States are upheld.

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