Samagra Shiksha: Transforming Education for Every Child in India

Every child in our country deserves a good education. To make sure this happens, the government and policymakers have created helpful programs. One important program is the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which started in the 2018-19 budget. This scheme looks at school education as a whole—from pre-school to class XII—so that every step of education is connected.

What is the Samagra Shiksha Scheme?
This scheme aims to give all children access to quality education in an inclusive classroom. It respects their different backgrounds, languages, and learning abilities. In total, it covers 1.16 million schools, helps over 156 million students, and supports 5.7 million teachers in government and aided schools.

Goals of the Samagra Shiksha Scheme:
– Follow the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020: Make school education better and more connected.
– Support Free Education: Help states uphold the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009.
– Focus on Early Learning: Prioritize early childhood education and foundational skills like reading and math.
– Create Inclusive Schools: Make sure all children, no matter their background, can learn and succeed together.
– Improve Learning Outcomes: Enhance the quality of education and students’ academic performance.
– Address Social and Gender Gaps: Ensure fairness and equality in education.
– Upgrade Education Centers: Strengthen local teacher training and support centers.
– Safe Learning Spaces: Ensure that schools provide a safe and encouraging environment for all students.
– Vocational Education: Encourage practical job training as part of education.

How Will This Scheme Work?
The Samagra Shiksha scheme will be managed by a central team through state and union territory (UT) councils. The funding for this scheme comes from both the central government and state governments, split in different ratios based on the region.

Budget for 2025:
In the Union Budget for 2025, the Samagra Shiksha program received a budget of ₹41,250 crores, which is more than the ₹37,010 crores allocated last year.