Lok Sabha Question No. 2792 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-07
Subject: Uniform Primary Education in Rural Areas
Ministry: Education
Asked by: Gowdar Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2792 ANSWERED ON 7 th  AUGUST, 2023

## Uniform Primary Education in Rural Areas

## 2792. SHRI G.M. SIDDESHWAR :

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state: (a) whether the Government proposes to implement the principle of equity in primary education in rural areas; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  prepare  an  action  plan  to  strengthen  the infrastructure and quality of primary education in rural areas; (d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(a) and (b): Education is in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and majority of the schools  come  under  the  purview  of  the  respective  State  and  UT  Governments. The Right  of  Children  to  Free  and  Compulsory  Education  (RTE)  Act,  2009  provides  for access to elementary schools for children of the age group of 6-14 years, within the defined  area  or  limits  of  neighbourhood.  Section  6  of  the  Act  provides  that  the appropriate government and local authorities shall establish, within the area or limits of a neighbourhood, a school, where it is not already established, within a period of three years from the commencement of the Act.

In pursuance to Section 6 of the Act, the Central RTE Rules has notified the area or limits  of  neighbourhood  as  one  kilometre,  within  which  a  primary  school  and  3 kilometre within which an upper primary school, has to be established.

The  Government  of  India  launched  Samagra  Shiksha  -  an  Integrated  Scheme  for school  education,  w.e.f  2018-19,  as  an  overarching  programme  for  the  school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education, across the country. The scheme provides support to States and UTs for strengthening of infrastructure in schools,  universal  access,  bringing  gender  equality,  promoting  inclusive  education, quality of education, financial support for teachers' salary, digital initiatives, entitlements  under  the  RTE  Act,  2009  including  uniforms  and  textbooks,  preschool education,  vocational  education,  sports  and  physical  education  and  strengthening  of teacher education institutions. The scheme has also been aligned with the recommendations of National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment  which  should  take  care  of  diverse  background,  multilingual  needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.

(c)  to  (e):  State  and  UT  Governments  are  the  appropriate  Governments  under  the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, and have the responsibility  and  mandate  to  provide  school  infrastructure  in  schools  in  accordance with the norms laid down in the Schedule to the RTE Act, 2009 and as per respective State  RTE  Rules.  Under  Samagra  Shiksha,  the  States  and  UTs  are  supported  for strengthening  of  existing  government  schools  and  for  creation  and  augmentation  of infrastructure facilities based on the gaps determined from Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) and proposals received from respective State/UT. The UDISE +  data  includes  all  school  located  in  both  rural  and  urban  areas  across  the country.  The  need  for  schools  and  also  the  infrastructural  facilities  in  schools  are worked  out  every  year  by  the  respective  State/Union  Territory  on  incremental  basis depending on their need and priority and reflected in their Annual Work plan & Budget (AWP&B).  These  plans  are  then  appraised  and  approved/estimated  by  the  Project Approval Board (PAB) in the Department of School Education & Literacy in consultation with the States and UTs.

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