Lok Sabha Question No. 97 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-07-21
Subject: Disparity in getting School Education
Ministry: EDUCATION
Asked by: Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 97 ANSWERED ON 21/07/2025

## Disparity in getting School Education

## †97 . Smt. Mahima Kumari Mewar:

Will the Minister of Education be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is taking steps to overcome disparity in getting school education due to gender and social status differences;

- (b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the details of efforts being made for improvement in Girls' education during the last five years in the country particularly in Rajsamand, Beawar and Nagaur districts in Rajasthan?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF STATE IN MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (SHRI JAYANT CHAUDHARY)

(a)  to  (c):        The  Department  of  School  Education  and  Literacy,  Ministry  of  Education  is implementing Samagra Shiksha - an Integrated Scheme for School Education, effective from 201819, aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education and has been aligned with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020. NEP, 2020 focuses on 'Equitable and Inclusive Education' which reverberates the idea that no child should be left behind in terms of educational opportunity because of their background and socio-cultural identities. It has taken into account the concerns of the Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs) which includes female individuals. In addition, NEP prescribes to approach gender as a cross-cutting priority to achieve gender equality in education with the partnership of states and local community organizations. Further, NEP aims at bridging the social category gaps in access, participation, and learning outcomes, including providing greater access to women.

Bridging gender and social category gaps at all levels of School Education is one of the major objectives of Samagra Shiksha. The scheme reaches out to girls, and children belonging to SEDGs. Under Samagra Shiksha, various interventions have been targeted for providing quality education to girls  like  free  uniform  and  text-books  to  girls  up  to  class  VIII,  appointment  of  additional  teachers including women teacher, stipend to CWSN girls from class I to class XII, separate toilets for girls, teacher's  sensitization  programs  to  promote  girls'  participation,  gender-sensitive  teaching-learning materials including text books etc.

In  addition,  to  reduce  gender  gaps  at  all  levels  of  school  education,  Kasturba  Gandhi  Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV), which are residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to SEDGs, are sanctioned in Educationally Backward Blocks. Moreover, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya (NSCBAV) are sanctioned in remote, sparsely populated and difficult to reach areas, hilly terrains, areas affected by LWE, large uninhabited areas with natural barriers like forests, waterways, rivers, etc., with the primary purpose of reaching out to girls, urban deprived and other disadvantaged children. Further, special state specific projects for varied interventions under equity are also emphasized under Samagra Shiksha for enhancing access, retention and quality for girls by promoting enrolment drives,  retention and motivation camps, gender sensitization modules etc. Such projects include life skills, awareness programmes, incinerators, sanitary pad vending machines etc.

All the aforesaid programs are being conducted in all States and UTs including Rajsamand, Beawar and  Nagaur  districts  of  Rajasthan.  In  Rajasthan,  there  are  316  KGBVs  and  41  NSCBAV.  Also, Adolescent Girls Program and Rani Laxmibai Self Defense program are conducted for all the girls of class 6-12 studying in government schools.

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