Samagra Shiksha scheme to ensure that all children have access to quality education

By: Shree1news, 20 DEC 2021

Samagra Shiksha scheme has been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 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.  The scheme has been continued for a period of five years with effect from 01.04.2021 to 31.03.2026.

For continuation of the Samagra Shiksha scheme, a series of consultations were held with States and UTs, Line Ministries, autonomous bodies and suggestions/ observations were sought in exploring areas of modification, revisions in programmatic and revisions in financial norms and addition of interventions. The restructured/ redesigned programmatic and financial norms of the revised Samagra Shiksha scheme have been shared with all the Stakeholders. A brief note on the redesigned Samagra Shiksha is available at https://samagra.education.gov.in/docs/samagra_shiksha.pdf .

The Scheme is implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme through a single State Implementation Society (SIS) at the State level.

The scheme also has an inbuilt comprehensive monitoring and evaluation mechanism to ensure optimum implementation of interventions, which, inter-alia, includes, Performance Grading Index (PGI), Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+), PRoject Appraisal, Budgeting Achievements and Data Handling System (PRABANDH), National Achievement Surveys (NAS), Audit Mechanism, Comprehensive Review Mission (CRM), Social Audit, Third Party Monitoring through Monitoring  Institutes and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

The Samagra Shiksha Manual on Financial Management and Procurement contains detailed procedures on fund flow arrangements, accounting, financial reporting, internal control and audit, external audit, procurement procedures, etc. Annual Reports of the State Implementing Societies for implementation of the scheme at State / UT level are also laid on the Table of the Parliament every year.

Further, the Ministry of Education convenes periodic meetings with State Education Ministers and Secretaries to review the programme implementation.

The information was given by the Minister of State for Education, Smt. Annpurna Devi in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.