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EDUCATION - PROGRAMS & POLICIES

Literacy
National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA)
Adult Education is a Concurrent Subject with both Central and State Governments being required to
contribute to its promotion and strengthening. At the national level, National Literacy Mission Authority
(NLMA), an autonomous wing of MHRD is the nodal agency for overall planning and management and
funding of Adult Education Programs and institutions.

2.

It was set up in 1988 with the approval of the Cabinet as an independent and autonomous wing of the
Ministry of HRD (the then Department of Education). The Cabinet vested NLMA with full executive
and financial powers in the sphere of work.

3.

National Literacy Mission Authority is mandated with

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1.

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a. Policy and planning;

b. Developmental and promotional activities;

c. Operational functions including assistance to voluntary agencies and other NGOs,

e. Leadership training

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d. Technology demonstration

f. Resource development including media and materials

g. Research and development

h. Monitoring and evaluation etc.

4.

Presently, the provision of adult education is through the Saakshar Bharat Programme (SBP) which is a
centrally sponsored scheme. The National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA), is the Nodal Agency at
the National level. The Joint Secretary (Adult Education) is the ex - officio Director General of NLMA.

5.

Its inter - ministerial General Council and Executive Committee are the two policy and executive bodies.
a. The Council of NLMA - Is the apex body of NLMA, headed by Minister of Human Resource
Development and consists of, among others, Ministers of Panchayati Raj, Rural Development,
Minority Affairs, Information and Broadcasting etc.

Notes

b. Executive Committee - The Executive Committee is responsible to carry out all the functions of
the Authority in accordance with the policy and guidelines laid down by the Council. It strives
for proper implementation of policies and incorporation of latest developments in the field of adult
education.

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Sakshar Bharat
1.

Saakshar Bharat has been formulated in 2009 with the objective of achieving 80% literacy level by 2012
at national level, by focusing on adult women literacy seeking - to reduce the gap between male and female
literacy to not more than 10 percentage points.

2.

The mission has four broader objectives, namely

a. imparting functional literacy and numeracy to non-literates;
b. acquiring equivalency to formal educational system;
c. imparting relevant skill development programme; and
d. Promote a leaning society by providing opportunities for continuing education.
The Mission goes beyond '3' R's (i.e. Reading, Writing & Arithmetic) ; for it also seeks to create awareness
of social disparities and a person's deprivation on the means for its amelioration and general well being.

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3.

a. The principal target of the mission is to impart functional literacy to 70 million non-literate adults
in the age group of 15 years and beyond.
b. The mission will cover 14 million SCs, 8 million STs, 12 million minorities & 36 million others. The
overall coverage of women will be 60 million. 410 districts belonging to 26 States/UTs of the
country have been identified to be covered under Saakshar Bharat.
Eligibility criteria for coverage under Saakshar Bharat. -

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4.

a. A district, including a new district carved out of an erstwhile district that had adult female literacy
rate of 50 per cent or below, as per 2001 census, is eligible for coverage under the Saakshar Bharat
programme.

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b. In addition, all left wing extremism-affected districts, irrespective of their literacy rate, are also
eligible for coverage under the programme.

Elementary Education

a) Article 21-A/ Right to Education Act, 2009

1.

Background -

a. The Constitution (Eighty-sixth Amendment) Act, 2002 inserted Article 21-A in the Constitution
of India to provide free and compulsory education of all children in the age group of six to
fourteen years as a Fundamental Right in such a manner as the State may, by law, determine.
b. The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009, which represents the
consequential legislation envisaged under Article 21-A, means that every child has a right to full
time elementary education of satisfactory and equitable quality in a formal school which satisfies
certain essential norms and standards.
c. Article 21-A and the RTE Act came into effect on 1 April 2010.
2.

The RTE Act provides for the:

Notes

a. Right of children to free and compulsory education till completion of elementary education in a
neighbourhood school.

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b. It clarifies that 'compulsory education' means obligation of the appropriate government to provide
free elementary education and ensure compulsory admission, attendance and completion of
elementary education to every child in the six to fourteen age group. 'Free' means that no child
shall be liable to pay any kind of fee or charges or expenses which may prevent him or her from
pursuing and completing elementary education.
c. It makes provisions for a non-admitted child to be admitted to an age appropriate class.
d. It specifies the duties and responsibilities of appropriate Governments, local authority and parents
in providing free and compulsory education, and sharing of financial and other responsibilities
between the Central and State Governments.
e. It lays down the norms and standards relating inter alia to Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs), buildings
and infrastructure, school-working days, teacher-working hours.

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f. It provides for rational deployment of teachers by ensuring that the specified pupil teacher ratio
is maintained for each school, rather than just as an average for the State or District or Block,
thus ensuring that there is no urban-rural imbalance in teacher postings. It also provides for
prohibition of deployment of teachers for non-educational work, other than decennial census,
elections to local authority, state legislatures and parliament, and disaster relief.

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g. It provides for appointment of appropriately trained teachers, i.e. teachers with the requisite entry
and academic qualifications.
h. It prohibits (a) physical punishment and mental harassment; (b) screening procedures for admission
of children; (c) capitation fee; (d) private tuition by teachers and (e) running of schools without
recognition,

3.

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i. It provides for development of curriculum in consonance with the values enshrined in the
Constitution, and which would ensure the all-round development of the child, building on the
child's knowledge, potentiality and talent and making the child free of fear, trauma and anxiety
through a system of child friendly and child centered learning.
With this, India has moved forward to a rights based framework that casts a legal obligation on the Central
and State Governments to implement this fundamental child right as enshrined in the Article 21A of the
Constitution, in accordance with the provisions of the RTE Act.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan

SSA, the principal programme for Universal Elementary Education (UEE), is the culmination of all
previous endeavours and experiences in implementing various education programmes. While each of these
programmes and projects had a specific focus-Operation Blackboard on improving physical infrastructure;
DPEP on primary education; Shiksha Karmi Project on teacher absenteeism, and Lok Jumbish Project on
girls' education-SSA has been the single largest holistic programme addressing all aspects of elementary
education covering over one million elementary schools and Education Guarantee Centre (EGS)/Alternate
and Innovative Education (AIE) Centres and about 20 crore children.

2.

SSA has been operational since 2000-2001 to provide for a variety of interventions for universal access
and retention, bridging of gender and social category gaps in elementary education and improving the
quality of learning.

Notes

1.

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3.

SSA interventions include inter alia,

a. opening of new schools and alternate schooling facilities,
b. construction of schools and additional classrooms,
c. toilets and drinking water,
d. provisioning for teachers,
e. regular teacher in service training and academic resource support,
f. Free textbooks& uniforms and support for improving learning achievement levels / outcome.

4.

With the passage of the RTE Act, changes have been incorporated into the SSA approach, strategies and
norms. The changes encompass the vision and approach to elementary education, guided by the following
principles :

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a. Holistic view of education, as interpreted in the National Curriculum Framework 2005, with
implications for a systemic revamp of the entire content and process of education with significant
implications for curriculum, teacher education, educational planning and management.
b. Equity, to mean not only equal opportunity, but also creation of conditions in which the
disadvantaged sections of the society - children of SC, ST, Muslim minority, landless agricultural
workers and children with special needs, etc. - can avail of the opportunity.

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c. Access, not to be confined to ensuring that a school becomes accessible to all children within
specified distance but implies an understanding of the educational needs and predicament of the
traditionally excluded categories - the SC, ST and others sections of the most disadvantaged
groups, the Muslim minority, girls in general, and children with special needs.

5.

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d. Gender concern, implying not only an effort to enable girls to keep pace with boys but to view
education in the perspective spelt out in the National Policy on Education 1986 /92; i.e. a decisive
intervention to bring about a basic change in the status of women.
Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative and Innovative Education
a. Education Guarantee Scheme and Alternative Innovative Education (EGS and AIE) is an important
component of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) to bring out-of- school children in the fold of Elementary
Education.
b. The scheme envisages that child-wise planning is undertaken for each out-of-School child.
c. Under EGS, educational facilities are set up in habitations that do not have a primary school
within a distance of 1 km.
d. Any habitation with 25 out-of-schools in the 6-14 age groups (15 in the cases of hilly and desert
areas and tribal hamlets) is eligible to have an EGS centre.
e. It is a transitory facility till primary school replaces it within a period of two years.

Notes

f. Alternative education interventions for specific categories of very deprived children e.g., child
labour, street children, migrating children, working children, children living in difficult
circumstances and older children in the 9+ age group especially adolescent girls are being supported
under EGS and AIE all over the country.

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g. A sizeable number of out-of-school children are in the habitations where schooling facility is
available but these children either did not join the school or dropped out before completing their
schooling. These children may not fit into the rigid formal system. To bring such children back to
school, back to school camp and Bridge Courses strategies have been implemented. Bridge courses
and back-to-school camps can be residential or non-residential depending upon the need of children.

Mid-Day Meal Scheme (Nutrition based Education Program to Ensure more Presence)
The MDMS is the world's largest school meal programme and reaches an estimated 12 crore children across
12 lakh schools in India.

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The MDMS emerged out of the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP NSPE), a centrally sponsored scheme formulated in 1995 to improve enrollment, attendance and retention by
providing free food grains to government run primary schools. In 2002, the Supreme Court directed the
government to provide cooked mid day meals (as opposed to providing dry rations) in all government and
government aided primary schools.
Calorie norms for the meals have been regularly revised starting from 300 calories in 2004, when the scheme
was relaunched as the Mid Day Meal Scheme. At present the MDMS provides children in government aided
schools and education centres a cooked meal for a minimum of 200 days. Table 1 outlines the prescribed
nutritional content of the meals.
Table 1: Prescribed nutritional content for mid day meals
Primary (grade 1-5)

Upper Primary(grade 6-8)

Calories

450

700

Protein (in grams)

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Item

20

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Objectives: The key objectives of the MDMS are to address the issues of hunger and education in schools
by serving hot cooked meals; improve the nutritional status of children and improve enrollment, attendance
and retention rates in schools and other education centres.
Finances: The cost of the MDMS is shared between the central and state governments. The central government
provides free food grains to the states. The cost of cooking, infrastructure development, transportation of food
grains and payment of honorarium to cooks and helpers is shared by the centre with the state governments.
The central government provides a greater share of funds. The contribution of state governments differs from
state to state.
Monitoring and Evaluation: There are some interstate variations in the monitoring and evaluation mechanisms
of the MDMS. A National Steering cum Monitoring Committee and a Programme Approval Board have been
established at the national level, to monitor the programme, conduct impact assessments, coordinate between
state governments and provide policy advice to central and state governments. Review Missions consisting of
representatives from central and state governments and non governmental agencies have been established. In
addition, independent monitoring institutions such as state universities and research institutions monitor the
implementation of the scheme.

Notes

At the state level, a three tier monitoring mechanism exists in the form of state, district and block level steering
cum monitoring committees. Gram panchayats and municipalities are responsible for day to day supervision
and may assign the supervision of the programme at the school level to the Village Education Committee,
School Management and Development Committee or Parent Teacher Association.

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Key issues with implementation: While there is significant inter-state variation in the implementation of the
MDSM, there are some common concerns with the implementation of the scheme. Some of the concerns
highlighted by the Ministry for Human Resource Development based on progress reports submitted by the
states in 2012 are detailed in Table 3.
Table 3: Key implementation issues in the MDMS
State(s) where these problems have been reported

Irregularity in serving meals

Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Rajasthan, Maharashtra,

Arunachal Pradesh

Irregularity in supply of food

Orissa, Maharashtra, Tripura, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh,

Meghalaya, grains to schools Delhi, Andhra Pradesh

Caste based discrimination

Orissa, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh in serving of food

Poor quality of food

Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Chhattisgarh

Poor coverage under School

Orissa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh,

Manipur, Health Programme Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal
Pradesh, Chhattisgarh

Poor infrastructure (kitchen

Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Gujarat, Chandigarh,

Himachal sheds in particular) Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir,
Orissa

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Poor hygiene

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Issue

Delhi, Rajasthan, Puducherry,

Poor community participation

Most states - Delhi, Jharkhand, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh in

particular

Analysis

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Best practices: Several state governments have evolved practices to improve the implementation of the
MDMS in their states. These include involving mothers of students in implementation of the scheme in
Uttarakhand and Jharkhand; creation of kitchen gardens, i.e., food is grown in the premises of the school, in
Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Punjab and West Bengal; construction of dining halls in Tamil Nadu; and increased
community participation in the implementation of the scheme Gujarat.

Micronutrient deficiencies such as iron and vitamin A have an overwhelming impact in India. Amongst 7 to
12 year old children in India over 86 per cent have been found to be consuming below the recommended level
of Vitamin A and over 46 per cent consuming insufficient iron. Micronutrient deficiencies can impair children's
cognitive development, cause lack of concentration, school absenteeism and even illness.
A programme at this scale has some challenges but simple and innovative solutions have already been tried
and proven. Among key areas which need to be strengthened for the MDM to achieve its desired objectives,
are enhancing the nutritional value of the food and controlling disease among children.

Notes

Addressing micronutrient deficiencies through the MDM is an essential investment not only in improving
nutrition but also for welfare, human rights and economic development. A rigorous study in Guatemala found
that boys under the age of three, who received a fortified complementary food, earned 46 per cent more than
others who did not, when they grew up. Addressing hunger in school also makes for a more conducive learning
environment.

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World Food Programme (WFP) has been working to support the government of India in finding solutions to
strengthen the country's food-based safety nets in order to address existing levels of malnutrition and food
insecurity. Fortification is a good example of how we are working together.
#1. Fortification is a tried and tested process through which micronutrients are added to food items. Fortification
of staples such as rice and wheat with iron and Vitamin A have been successfully piloted in India with
encouraging results. Cooked meals can also be fortified with micronutrient pre-mixes. At a reasonable cost,
fortification can result in rapid improvement in the micronutrient status of a group. WFP,in partnership with
the government of Odisha, piloted iron fortification of MDM rice in one district. Within one year of the pilot
the prevalence of anaemia fell by 5 per cent. Another fortification pilot by WFP and government of Uttarakhand,
in the Tehri Garhwal District, resulted in a reduction of iron deficiency anaemia among the children by over
8 per cent in eight months.

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#2. Integrating safe and hygienic practices in the MDM is essential to ensure any progress is not watered
down with the onset of diseases. This needs to be established throughout the food supply chain, during
preparation and consumption. Cooking and storage facilities need to be hygienic, there needs to be a continuous
supply of water for hand washing and cleaning products, appropriate kit with aprons, gloves and caps for the
cooks and safe food waste disposal. The importance of adequate toilets has already been flagged by the
government's ongoing push to build a toilet in every school.

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#3. Improving school management: Further, change and support from school management, cooking staff and
the children themselves, is vital for the scheme to have the intended effect. It is essential that the cooking staff
have regular health checks and adopt hygienic standards such as washing their hands as well as those of the
children before and after eating meals. Three important messages that need to be reiterated to all stakeholders
are clean hands, clean utensils, clean cooking and serving area.

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To successfully improve nutrition, it is essential to have strategies and convergence across sectors including
food, health, safe drinking water and sanitation. With one in three of world's malnourished children living in
this country, this investment is imperative for India. MDM is well placed to support the nutritional requirements
of a large number of India's children but some stark gaps regarding hygiene and the nutritional value of every
meal needs to be addressed to enhance the impact of this investment.

Special Programs For Education of Girl Child

NPEGEL - National Program for Education of Girls at Elementary Level

This is a focused intervention of Government of India, to reach the "Hardest to Reach" girls, especially
those not in school.

Launched in 2003

It is a component of SSA

Where implemented 'In educationally backward blocks (EEB) where the level of rural female literacy is
less than the national average and the gender gap is above the national average

How it works It provides additional support for enhancing girl's education over and above the investments for
girl's education through normal SSA interventions.

Notes

The program provides for development of a "model school" in every cluster with more intense
community mobilization and supervision of girls enrolment in schools.

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Gender sensitization of teachers, development of gender-sensitive learning materials, and provision

of need-based incentives like escorts, stationery, workbooks and uniforms are some of the endeavors
under the program.

KGBV - Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) is a scheme for setting up residential schools at upper primary
level for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, OBC and minority communities.

The scheme provides for a minimum reservation of 75% of the seats for girls belonging to SC, ST, OBC
or minority communities and 25 % to girls from families that below poverty line.

It was launched in 2004, But since 2007 (1st april 2007), the scheme was merged with Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan as a separate component of SSA program. (I.E. in 11th Plan it was merged with SSA). So at
present it runs as a separate component under SSA.

The scheme is being implemented in educationally backward blocks (EEB's) of the country. i.e. those
blocks where the

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Female rural literacy is below the national average and

Gender gap in literacy is above the national average.

Mahila Samakhya Program

The National Policy on Education, 1986 recognized that the empowerment of women is possibly the most
critical pre-condition for the participation of girls and women in the educational process. The Mahila
Samakhya programme was launched in 1988 to pursue the objectives of the National Policy on Education,
1986.

2.

It recognized that education can be an effective tool for women's empowerment, the parameters of which
are:

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1.

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a. enhancing self-esteem and self-confidence of women;

b. building a positive image of women by recognizing their contribution to the society, polity and
the economy;
c. developing ability to think critically;
d. fostering decision making and action through collective processes;
e. enabling women to make informed choices in areas like education, employment and health
(especially reproductive health);
f. ensuring equal participation in developmental processes;
g. providing information, knowledge and skill for economic independence; enhancing access to legal
literacy and information relating to their rights and entitlements in society with a view to enhance
their participation on an equal footing in all areas
The MS scheme recognizes the centrality of education in empowering women to achieve equality.

Notes

The Mahila Sanghas or women's collectives at the village level provide the women a space to meet, reflect,
ask questions and articulate their thoughts and needs to make informed choices.

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The Mahila Sanghas through various programmes and awareness campaigns have brought about a change in
the outlook of rural women and the effects can now be seen in various facets of life at home within the family,
the community and at the block, and Panchayat levels.
The programme has also focused on awareness of the need to educate the children, especially girls, to give the
equal status and opportunities which has resulted in a direct impact on enrolment and retention of girls in
schools.
The Mahila Samakhya Scheme is currently being implemented in ten states, viz., Andhra Pradesh, Assam,
Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand spread over 102
districts and covering more than 21,000 villages.
Currently, DFID (UK) is providing assistance of 35 million sterling to this programme on the basis of a 90:10
fund sharing pattern between DFID and Government of India for a seven year period from 2007-14.

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Incentives To Girls For Secondary Education

1.

To promote enrolment of girl child in the age group of 14-18 at secondary stage, especially those who
passed Class VIII and to encourage the secondary education of such girls, the Centrally Sponsored Scheme.
National Scheme of Incentives to Girls for Secondary Education was launched in May,2008.

2.

The Scheme covers:

a. All SC/ST girls who pass class VIII and

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b. Girls, who pass class VIII examination from Kastrurba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (irrespective of
whether they belong to Scheduled Castes or Tribes) and enroll for class IX in State/UT Government,
Government-aided or local body schools in the academic year 2008-09 onwards.
c. Girls should be below 16 years of age ( as on 31st March) on joining class IX

3.

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d. Married girls, girls studying in private un-aided schools and enrolled in schools run by Central
Government are excluded.
A sum of Rs.3,000/- is deposited in the name of eligible girls as fixed deposit. The girls are entitled to
withdraw the sum along with interest thereon on reaching 18 years of age and on passing 10th class
examination.

Scheme for Construction and Running of Girls' Hostel for Students of Secondary and Higher
Secondary Schools
1.

Introduction
a. This is a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme launched in 2008-09 and is being implemented from
2009-10 to set up a 100-bedded Girls' Hostel in each of 3479 Educationally Backward Blocks
(EBBs) in the country.
b. The Scheme has replaced the earlier NGO driven Scheme for construction and running of Girls'
Hostels for Students of Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools, under which assistance was
provided to voluntary organizations for running Girls' Hostels.

2.

Objective

Notes

a. The main objective of the Scheme is to retain the girl child in secondary school so that girl students
are not denied the opportunity to continue their study due to distance to school, parents' financial
affordability and other connected societal factors.

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b. Another objective of the Scheme is to make Secondary and Senior Secondary education accessible
to a larger number of girl students.
3.

Target Group
a. The girl students in the age group of 14-18 yrs. studying in classes IX and XII belonging to SC,
ST, OBC, Minority communities and BPL families will form the target group of the Scheme.
b. Students passing out of KGBV will be given preference in admission in hostels. At least 50% of
girls admitted will be from SC, ST, OBC and Minority communities.

Special Programs for Minority Education

Scheme to Provide Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM)
SPQEM seeks to bring about qualitative improvement in Madrasas to enable Muslim children attain
standards of the national education system in formal education subjects.

2.

The salient features of SPQEM scheme are :

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1.

a. To strengthen capacities in Madrasas for teaching of the formal curriculum subjects like Science,
Mathematics, Language, Social Studies etc. through enhanced payment of teacher honorarium.
b. Training of such teachers every two years in new pedagogical practices.
c. Providing Science labs, Computer labs with annual maintenance costs in the secondary and higher
secondary stage madrasas.

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d. Provision of Science/Mathematics kits in primary/upper primary level madrassas.

e. Strengthening of libraries/book banks and providing teaching learning materials at all levels of
madrasas.
The unique feature of this modified scheme is that it encourages linkage of Madrasas with National
Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS), as accredited centres for providing formal education, which will
enable children studying in such Madrasas to get certification for class 5, 8, 10 and 12. This will enable
them to transit to higher studies and also ensure that quality standards akin to the national education
system. Registration & examination fees to the NIOS will be covered under this scheme as also the
teaching learning materials to be used.

4.

The NIOS linkage will be extended under this scheme for Vocational Education at the secondary and
higher secondary stage of Madrasas.

5.

For the monitoring and popularization of the scheme it will fund State Madrasa Boards. GoI will itself
run periodic evaluations, the first within two years.

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3.

Scheme for Infrastructure Development In Minority Institutes (IDMI)

1.

IDMI has been operationalized to augment Infrastructure in Private Aided/Unaided Minority Schools/
Institutions in order to enhance quality of education to minority children.

2.

The salient features of IDMI scheme are:

Notes

a. The scheme would facilitate education of minorities by augmenting and strengthening school
infrastructure in Minority Institutions in order to expand facilities for formal education to children
of minority communities.

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b. The scheme will cover the entire country but, preference will be given to minority institutions
(private aided/unaided schools) located in districts, blocks and towns having a minority population
above 20%,
c. The scheme will inter alia encourage educational facilities for girls, children with special needs and
those who are most deprived educationally amongst minorities.
d. The scheme will fund infrastructure development of private aided/unaided minority institutions
to the extent of 75% and subject to a maximum of Rs. 50 lakhs per institution for strengthening
of educational infrastructure and physical facilities in the existing school including additional
classrooms, science / computer lab rooms, library rooms, toilets, drinking water facilities and
hostel buildings for children especially for girls.

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan

1.

This scheme was launched in March, 2009

2.

Objective of the scheme -

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Secondary Education

a. to enhance access to secondary education and to improve its quality.

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b. to achieve an enrolment rate of 75% from 52.26% in 2005-06 at secondary stage of implementation
of the scheme by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of any habitation.
c. improving quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools
conform to prescribed norms, removing gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, providing
universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and
achieving universal retention by 2020.
The Government of India approved the following revised norms of RMSA, with effect from 01.04.2013
under which the following Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Secondary Education are subsumed under the
umbrella RMSA -

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3.

a. Information and Communication Technology (ICT)@ School,

b. Girls' Hostel,

c. Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage(IEDSS) and

d. Vocational Education(VE)
e. The above mentioned schemes are now a component of RMSA
4.

Implementation Mechanism Of The Scheme a. The scheme is being implemented by the State government societies established for implementation
of the scheme. The central share is released to the implementing agency directly. The applicable
State share is also released to the implementing agency by the respective State Governments.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in schools have been subsumed in the Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA). Now ICT in Schools is a component of the RMSA.

Notes

1.

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2.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in Schools was launched in December, 2004 and
revised in 2010 to provide opportunities to secondary stage students to mainly build their capacity on ICT
skills and make them learn through computer aided learning process. The Scheme is a major catalyst to
bridge the digital divide amongst students of various socio economic and other geographical barriers. The
Scheme provides support to States/UTs to establish computer labs on sustainable basis.

3.

Components - The scheme has essentially four components:

a. The first one is the partnership with State Government and Union Territories Administrations for
providing computer aided education to Secondary and Higher Secondary Government and
Government aided schools.
b. The second is the establishment of smart schools, which shall be technology demonstrators.
c. The third component is teacher related interventions, such as provision for engagement of an
exclusive teacher, capacity enhancement of all teachers in ICT and a scheme for national ICT
award as a means of motivation.

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d. Fourth one relates to the development of a e-content, mainly through Central Institute of Education
Technologies (CIET), six State Institutes of Education Technologies (SIETs) and 5 Regional Institutes
of Education (RIEs), as also through outsourcing.

Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS)

1.

Timeline

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a. The Scheme of Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) has been launched
from the year 2009-10.
b. This Scheme replaces the earlier scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children (IEDC)
and provides assistance for the inclusive education of the disabled children in classes IX-XII.

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c. This scheme now subsumed under Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) from 2013.
The States/UTs are also in the process of subsuming under RMSA as RMSA subsumed Scheme.
2.

Aim - To enabled all students with disabilities, to pursue further four years of secondary schooling after
completing eight years of elementary schooling in an inclusive and enabling environment.

3.

Objectives

4.

The scheme covers all children studying at the secondary stage in Government, local body and Governmentaided schools, with one or more disabilities as defined under the Persons with Disabilities Act (1995) and
the National Trust Act (1999) in the class IX to XII, namely blindness, low vision, leprosy cured, hearing
impairment, locomotory disabilities, mental retardation, mental illness, autism, and cerebral palsy and may
eventually cover speech impairment, learning disabilities, etc.

5.

Components
a. Student-oriented components, such as medical and educational assessment, books and stationery,
uniforms, transport allowance, reader allowance, stipend for girls, support services, assistive devices,
boarding the lodging facility, therapeutic services, teaching learning materials, etc.

Notes

b. Other components include appointment of special education teachers, allowances for general
teachers for teaching such children, teacher training, orientation of school administrators,
establishment of resource room, providing barrier free environment, etc.

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6.

Implementing Agency
a. The School Education Department of the State Governments/Union Territory (UT) Administrations
are the implementing agencies. They may involve NGOs having experience in the field of education
of the disabled in the implementation of the scheme.

7.

Financial Assistance
a. Central assistance for all items covered in the scheme is on 100 percent basis.
b. The State governments are only required to make provisions for scholarship of Rs. 600/- per
disabled child per annum.

Vocationalization of Secondary Education

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Vocationalization of Secondary Education at + 2 level is being
implemented since 1988. The revised scheme is in operation since 1992-93.

The Scheme provides for financial assistance to the States to set up administrative structure, area vocational
surveys, preparation of curriculum, text book, work book curriculum guides, training manual, teacher
training programme, strengthening technical support system for research and development, training and
evaluation etc. It also provides financial assistance to NGOs and voluntary organizations towards
implementation of specific innovative projects for conducting short-term courses.

Based on the recommendations of various Committees/Review Groups, the existing Scheme is being
revised

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Model School

Note - The Model School Scheme Has Been Delinked From The Support Of The Government Of India
And As Such The Scheme Stands Transferred To States/UTs For Further Appropriate Action.

2.

The Model School scheme aims to provide quality education to talented rural children through setting up
of 6,000 model schools at the rate of one school per block as benchmark of excellence.

3.

The scheme has the following objectives:

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1.

a. To have at least one good quality senior secondary school in every block.
b. To have a pace setting role
c. To try out innovative curriculum and pedagogy
d. To be a model in infrastructure, curriculum, evaluation and school governance
4.

The scheme envisages setting up of (i) 3,500 schools in as many educationally backward blocks (EBBs)
through State/UT Governments, and (ii) remaining 2,500 schools under Public-Private Partnership (PPP)
mode in blocks which are not educationally backward.

National Means cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme

The Centrally Sponsored Scheme "National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)" was launched
in May, 2008.

2.

The objective of the scheme is to award scholarships to meritorious students of economically weaker
sections to arrest their drop out at class VIII and encourage them to continue the study at secondary stage.

Notes

1.

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Scholarship of Rs.6000/- per annum (Rs.500/- per month) per student is awarded to selected students
every year for study in classes from IX to XII in Government, Government aided and local body schools.
3.

For academic year 2013-14 onward, separte examination for selection of students for NMMS Scholarships
is being conducted by the State Governments. Scholarships are disbursed by the State Bank of India
directly into the accounts of students on quarterly basis.

4) Higher Education
Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)
1.

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), launched in 2013
aims at providing strategic funding to eligible state higher educational institutions.

2.

Funding
a. The central funding (in the ratio of 65:35 for general category States and 90:10 for special
category states) would be norm based and outcome dependent.

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b. The funding would flow from the central ministry through the state governments/union territories
to the State Higher Education Councils before reaching the identified institutions.
c. The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State Higher Education
Plans, which would describe each state's strategy to address issues of equity, access and excellence
in higher education.
3.

The salient objectives of RUSA are to;

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a. Improve the overall quality of state institutions by ensuring conformity to prescribed norms and
standards and adopt accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.
b. Usher transformative reforms in the state higher education system by creating a facilitating
institutional structure for planning and monitoring at the state level, promoting autonomy in
State Universities and improving governance in institutions.

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c. Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination systems.

d. Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher educational institutions and ensure
capacity building at all levels of employment.
e. Create an enabling atmosphere in the higher educational institutions to devote themselves to
research and innovations.
f. Expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in existing institutions and establishing
new institutions, in order to achieve enrolment targets.
g. Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by setting up institutions in un?served
& underserved areas.
h. Improve equity in higher education by providing adequate opportunities of higher education to
SC/STs and socially and educationally backward classes; promote inclusion of women, minorities,
and differently abled persons.
4.

Components

Notes

a. RUSA would create new universities through upgradation of existing autonomous colleges and conversion
of colleges in a cluster. It would create new model degree colleges, new professional colleges and

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provide infrastructural support to universities and colleges Faculty recruitment support, faculty improvements
programmes and leadership development of educational administrators are also an important part of the
scheme. In order to enhance skill development the existing central scheme of Polytechnics has been
subsumed within RUSA. A separate component to synergise vocational education with higher education
has also been included in RUSA. Besides these, RUSA also supports reforming, restructuring and building
capacity of institutions in participating state.
5.

Institutional Hierarchy

a. RUSA is implemented and monitored through an institutional structure comprising the National
Mission Authority, Project Approval Board and the National Project Directorate at the centre and the
State Higher Education Council and State Project Directorate at the state level.

5) Skill Development

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Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship

1.

It was created in 2014

2.

Agencies like NSDC and NSDA come under it

3.

It will coordinate with other ministries who are handling skill schemes.

4.

Will devise training curriculum in key sectors and will issue certificates to trained personnel.

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Skill India Mission

A national multi-skill programme called Skill India is proposed to be launched.

2.

It would skill the youth with an emphasis on employability and entrepreneur skills.

3.

It will also provide training and support for traditional professions like welders, carpenters, cobblers,
masons, blacksmiths, weavers etc.

4.

Convergence of various schemes to attain this objective is also proposed.

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1.

NSDA - National Skill Development Agency

1.

About it -

a. It subsumes the Office of Adviser to the PM - National Council on Skill Development)

b. NSDA is an autonomous body
2.

Functions
a. Take all possible steps to meet skilling targets as envisaged in the 12th Five Year Plan and beyond;
b. Will coordinate the skill development efforts of the Government and the private sector to achieve
the skilling targets;
c. The NSDA will anchor and operationalize the National Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF)
to ensure that quality and standards meet sector specific requirements;
d. and facilitate the setting up of professional certifying bodies in addition to the existing ones.

Notes

e. Be the nodal agency for State Skill Development Missions;

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f. It will endeavor to bridge the social, regional, gender and economic divide
i. by ensuring that the skilling needs of the disadvantaged and marginalized groups like SCs,
STs, OBCs, minorities, women and differently-abled persons are taken care of through the
various skill development programmes and
ii. by taking affirmative actions as part of advocacy by the NSDA.
g. Raise extra-budgetary resources for skill development from various sources such as international
agencies, including multi-lateral agencies, and the private sector;
h. Evaluate existing skill development schemes with a view to assessing their efficacy and suggest
corrective action to make them more effective;

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for Urban and Rural Poor
1.

Introducation

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a. Union Government on 25 September 2014 launched Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana
for urban and rural poor.
b. The Yojana aims at alleviating urban and rural poverty through enhancement of livelihood
opportunities through skill development and other means.
c. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana has two components

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i. Urban component - to be implemented by the Union Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty
Alleviation
ii. Rural component (named as Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana) - to be
implemented by the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
2.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana

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a. Aim
i. To train 10 lakh (1 million) rural youths for jobs in three years, that is, by 2017.
b. Features

i. The minimum age for entry under the Yojana is 15 years

ii. Skill development training centers to be launched
iii. The skills imparted under the Yojana will now be benchmarked against international standards
and will complement the Prime Minister's Make In India campaign.
iv. Will also the address the need for imparting training to the differently-able persons and
v. Will rope in private players including international players to impart the skills to the rural
youths.
c. Economic survey 2014-15
i. It is a placement-linked skill development scheme for poor rural youth.

Notes

ii. A total of 51,956 candidates have been skilled under the DDU-GKY, of which 28,995 have
been placed till November during 2014-15.

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3.

Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana for urban areas

a. Increased Coverage
i. Currently, all the urban poverty alleviating programmes covered only 790 towns and cities.
ii. Under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Yojana (DAY) for urban areas extends
thecoverage to all the 4041 statutory cities and towns, there by covering almost the entire
urban population.
b. The scheme will focus on
i. Imparting skills with an expenditure of 15000 rupees to 18000 rupees on each urban poor,
ii. City Livelihood Centres will be setup to impart market-oriented skills,

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iii. Promotion of self-employment through setting up individual micro-enterprises,

iv. Enabling urban poor form Self-Help Groups,

v. Construction of permanent shelters for urban homeless and provision of other essential services.

Industrial Training Institution

ITIs are key components of the vocational training system in the country.

2.

These institutes are imparting training in 57 engineering and 50 non-engineering trades to those who have
passed either 8th or 10th class examination

3.

How many at present ' 5,000 + in 2008.

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1.

a. Of these, 1896 are State Government-run ITIs while

4.

Role of center and state

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b. Remaining (3218 ITIs) are private.

a. Center lays down standards and conducts trade testing & certification for both public and
private ITIs.
b. State Governments are responsible for managing the ITIs.

Scheme of Support to NGOs for Adult Education and Skill Development

1.

The Programme of Action (POA) to operationalize National Policy on Education, 1986, inter-alia,
envisaged development of a genuine partnership between the Government and non- Government
Organizations (NGOs) and stipulated that government would take positive steps to promote their wider
involvement in eradication of illiteracy by providing due support to them.

2.

To promote Adult Education, particularly in 15-35 age group, through voluntary sector, the Department
of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India,
has been providing support to Voluntary Agencies (VA) through two separate schemes, namely
a. Assistance to Voluntary Agencies in the field of Adult Education -

Notes

i. it is conceptualized as an overarching programme to encourage innovation and creativity in

literacy and continuing education. It includes establishment of State Resource Centers for
technical and academic support to adult education.

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b.

Jan Shikshan Sansthans i. They provide vocational education skill development training to those having no or rudimentary
level of education.

3.

The Government have now decided to merge both the schemes and rename the modified scheme as
"Scheme of Support to Voluntary Agencies for Adult Education and Skill Development" and continue to
support the Voluntary Agencies on project to project basis. Thus the new scheme subsumes the erstwhile
NGO based schemes of the National Literacy Mission.

4.

Scheme Objective - The main objective of the scheme is to secure extensive, as well as, intensive involvement
of voluntary sector in the endeavours of the Government to promote functional literacy, skill development
and continuing education, particularly in 15-35 age group, under the over all umbrella of National Literacy
Mission (NLM). The Scheme will, thus, strive to achieve, through voluntary effort, the overall objectives
of NLM, which include:
a. Achieving self-reliance in literacy and numeracy

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b. Becoming aware of the causes of their deprivation and moving towards amelioration of their
condition through organization and participation in the process of development
c. Acquiring skills to improve the economic status and general well being
d. Imbibing the values of national integration, conservation of the environment women's equality,
observance of small family norms, etc.
Components Of This Scheme:
a. State Resource Centers
b. Jan Shikshan Sansthan

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5.

c. Assistance to Voluntary Agencies

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6) Teachers Education
Teacher Education Scheme

Centrally sponsored scheme of teacher education was launched in 1987-88 with, inter - alia, the following
component:
Establishment of district institute of education & training (DIETs) by upgradation of existing
Elementary Teacher Education Institutions (ETEIs) wherever possible, and
Establishment of new DIET where necessary.

The main objectives of the Teacher Education Scheme are as follows:

Speedy completion of DIET/CTE/IASE/ SCERT projects sanctioned but not completed up to the
9th Plan period, optimally functional and operational.
Sanction and implementation of fresh DIET/CTE/IASE/SCERT projects to the extent necessary.

Notes

Improvement in the quality of programmes to be undertaken by DIETs, etc. especially those

of pre-service and in-service training, so as to enable them to effectively play their nodal role of
improving quality of elementary and secondary education in their respective jurisdiction, as
measured in terms of levels of learner achievements.

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Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching

1.

In December 2014, NDA government launched Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on
Teachers & Teaching with an outlay of Rs. 900 crores during XII Plan.

2.

Background of launch - As teachers hold the key for success of educational development, thus attention
has to be focused on the preparation of teachers and their working conditions in classrooms, schools and
colleges, as also their continuous professional development, ensuring that best talent in the country are
made available to shape the future generations.

3.

Aim a. to ensure a coordinated approach so as to holistically address the various shortcomings relating to
teachers and teaching across the educational spectrum ranging from school education to higher
education including technical education; using the best international practices for excellenc;

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b. empower teachers and faculty through training, re-training, refresher and orientation programmes
in generic skills, pedagogic skills, discipline specific content upgradation, ICT and technology enabled
training and other appropriate interventions.
The Mission envisages to address comprehensively all issues related to teachers, teaching, teacher preparation,
professional development, Curriculum Design, Designing and Developing Assessment & Evaluation
methodology, Research in Pedagogy and developing effective Pedagogy.

5.

The Mission will provide an integrated platform for building synergies among all the existing initiatives,
providing oversight to the existing activities and also carry out new activities aimed at gap filling so that
a comprehensive vehicle for Teacher/Faculty related programmes and schemes is created.

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4.

Adult Education and lateral Education

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National Population Education Project

The National Population Education Project was launched in April 1980 with the overarching objective of
institutionalizing population education in the school education and teacher education systems to contribute
to the attainment of population education in the school education and teacher education systems to
contribute to the attainment of population and development goals of the country.

Up to 2002, this was implemented as externally aided project which was fully funded by the United
Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

It was being implemented in the university education and adult education sector as well.

In view of the achievements and significance of the project, Government of India decided to continue it
in the 10th Five Year Plan with a more focused objective of integrating the elements of reconceptualised
framework of population education in school curriculum.

UNFPA decided to support a concomitant project focused on adolescent reproductive and sexual health
(ARSH) from 2004.

During 2006-07, the NPEP was implemented as an integral part of Adolescence Education programme,
launched by ministry of human resource development in 2005 in collaboration with National AIDS Control
Organisation.

Notes

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Jan Shiksha Sansthans

Jan Shiksha Sansthans (JSSs) are established to provide vocational training to non-literate, as well as school
dropouts by identifying skills as would have a market in the region of their establishment.

JSSs impart skill development training in nearly 394 vocational courses in Cutting and Tailoring, Beauty
Culture and Health Care, Fashion Design, Electrical and Electronics, Automobile Repairs, Soft Toys
making, Agriculture Allied Courses, Cottage Industry Courses, Handicrafts, Bakery and Confectionary,
Textile Technology, Leather Technology and Building Technology.

Open Schooling System

It is necessary to design, create and establish alternative Educational provisions for some prospective
learners who will not be able to take advantage of formal schooling during stipulated school hours.

The Open Schooling Programmes up to predegree level are being offered by the National Institute of Open
Schooling (NIOS) and 10 State Open Schools (SOSS).

The States that have set up SOSS are West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,Karnataka, Kerala,
Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir.

The open schools network when fully developed should be able to cater to at least 15% students in
secondary education.

The open schooling network needs to be expanded to ensure that every state providesOpen Schooling
Facility through its regional language.

Notes

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