DISTRICT PRIMARY EDUCATION PROGRAMME

The Centrally-Sponsored Scheme of District Primary Education Programme

(DPEP) was launched in 1994 as a major initiative to revitalise the primary
education system and to achieve the objective of universalisation of primary
education.
Under the Programme parameters, investment per district is limited to Rs.40
crore over a project period of 5-7 years. There is a ceiling of 33.3 per cent on
civil works component and 6 per cent on management cost. The remaining
amount is required to be spent on quality improvement activities.
DPEP is an externally aided project. 85 per cent of the project cost is met by
the Central Government and the remaining 15 per cent is shared by the
concerned State Government. The Central Government share is resourced
through external assistance.
At present external assistance of about Rs.6,938 crore composing Rs.5,137 as
credit from IDA and Rs.1,801 crore as grant from EC/DFID/UNICEF/Netherlands
has been tied-up for DPEP.

The positive impact of DPEP

Primary Education and Ninth Plan Despite all initiatives taken for achieving
universalisation of primary education the backlog has continued in enrolment
and dropout rate is still high. Two major initiative has been taken during
Eighth Plan are the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP) and
Nutrition Support to Primary Education (Midday Meal Programme) with a view
to addressing the problem of equality, access retention and quality at primary
state. During the VIII Plan the enrolment of girls and children for scheduled
castes and scheduled tribes has shown an increase at the primary stage. The
dropout rates have also shown a declining trend.

Major Achievements of DPEP:

i.

DPEP has so far opened more than 1,60,000 new schools, including
almost 84,000 alternative schooling (AS) centres. The AS centres cover
nearly 3.5 million children, while another two lakh children are covered
by Bridge Courses of different types;

ii.

The school infrastructure created under DPEP has been remarkable.

Works either complete or in progress include 52758 school buildings,
58,604 additional classrooms, 16,619 resource centers, 29,307 repair
works, 64,592 toilets, and 24,909 drinking water facilities,

iii.

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) for Phase-I states was around 93 to
95 per cent for the last three years. After the adjustment for the

Alternative Schools/Education Guarantee Centers enrolment, the GER

in the 2001-02 works out above 100 per cent. In the districts covered
under subsequent phases of DPEP, the GER including enrolment of
AS/EGS was above 85 per cent;
iv.

The enrolment of girls has shown significant improvement. In DPEP-I

districts, the share of girls enrolment in relation to total enrolment has
increased from 48 per cent to 49 per cent, while this increase in the
subsequent phases of DPEP districts has been from 46 per cent to 47
per cent;

v.

The total number of differently bled children enrolled is now more than
4,20,203 which represents almost 76 per cent of the nearly 5,53,844
differently-abled children identified in the DPEP States;

vi.

Village Education Committees/School Management Committees have

been setup in almost all project villages/habitations/schools,

vii.

About 1,77,000 teachers, including para-teachers/Shiksha Karmis have

been appointed;

viii.

About 3,380 resource centers at block level and 29,725 centers at

cluster level have been set-up for providing academic support and
teacher training facilities.

SARVA SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (The Education for All Movement) (SSA), is an Indian
Government programme aimed at the universalisation of elementary
education "in a time bound manner", as mandated by the 86th amendment to
the Constitution of India making free and compulsory education to children of
ages 614 (estimated to be 205 million in number in 2001) a fundamental
right. The programme was pioneered by Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
History
As an intervention programme, SSA has been operational since 2000-2001.
However, its roots go back to 1993-1994, when the District Primary
Education Programme (DPEP) was launched, with a aim of achieving the
objective of universal primary education. DPEP, over several phases, covered
272 districts in 18 states of the country. The expenditure on the programme
was shared by the Central Government (85%) and the State Governments.
The Central share was funded by a number of external agencies, including the
World Bank, DFID and UNICEF. By 2001, more than US$1500 million had been
committed to the programme, and 50 million children covered in its ambit. Its
net impact on minority children was impressive, while there was little
evidence of any impact on the enrollment of girls. Nevertheless, they
concluded that the investment in DPEP was not a waste, because it

introduced a new approach to primary school interventions in India.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is a programme for Universal Elementary

Education. This programme is also an attempt to provide an opportunity for
improving human capabilities to all children through provision of community
-owned quality education in a mission mode. It is a response to the demand
for quality basic education all over the country. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA)
has two aspects:
1. It provides a wide convergent frame work for implementation of
Elementary Education schemes.
2. It is also a programme with budget provision for strengthening vital areas
to achieve universalisation of elementary education.

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) is Government of India's flagship programme for

achievement of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE) in a time
bound manner, as mandated by 86th amendment to the Constitution of India
making free and compulsory Education to the Children of 6-14 years age
group, a Fundamental Right. SSA is being implemented in partnership with
State Governments to cover the entire country and address the needs of 192
million children in 1.1 million habitations.

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.
SSA interventions include inter alia, opening of new schools and alternate
schooling facilities, construction of schools and additional classrooms, toilets
and drinking water, provisioning for teachers, regular teacher in service
training and academic resource support, free textbooks& uniforms and
support for improving learning achievement levels / outcome. 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 :

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.

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.

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.

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.

Centrality of teacher, to motivate them to innovate and create a

culture in the classroom, and beyond the classroom, that might
produce an inclusive environment for children, especially for girls from
oppressed and marginalised backgrounds.

Moral compulsion is imposed through the RTE Act on parents, teachers,

educational administrators and other stakeholders, rather than shifting
emphasis on punitive processes.

Convergent and integrated system of educational management is prerequisite for implementation of the RTE law. All states must move in
that direction as speedily as feasible.

SSA - Education Mission

Providing Quality Basic Education
Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is an effort to universalise elementary education
by community-ownership of the school system. It is a response to the demand
for quality basic education all over the country. The SSA programme is also an
attempt to provide an opportunity for improving human capabilities to all
children, through provision of community- owned quality education in a
mission mode.
The Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan is to provide useful and relevant elementary
education for all children in the age group 6 to 14 by 2010. Another goal is to
bridge social, regional and gender category gaps with the active participation
of the community. Useful and relevant education signifies a quest for an
education system that is not alienating but that draws on community
solidarity. The aim is to allow children to learn about and master their natural
environment in a manner that facilities the harnessing of their human
potential fully. This quest is a process of value based learning that allows
children an opportunity to work for each others well being rather than to
pursue their mere selfish pursuits. This would imply that the children must
grow with a social commitment in life.

The programme seeks to open new schools in those habitations which do not
have schooling facilities and strengthen existing school infrastructure through
provision of additional class rooms, toilets, drinking water, maintenance grant
and school improvement grants.
Existing schools with inadequate teacher strength are provided with
additional teachers, while the capacity of existing teachers is being
strengthened by extensive training, grants for developing teaching-learning
materials and strengthening of the academic support structure at a cluster,
block and district level.
SSA seeks to provide quality elementary education including life skills. SSA
has a special focus on girl's education and children with special needs. SSA
also seeks to provide computer education to bridge the digital divide.

Major Goals of SSA:

All children are enrolled in schools, Education Guarantee Centres,

Alternative Schools, Back-to-School camp by 2005.

Bridging all gender and social category gaps in primary stage by 2007
and at elementary education level by 2010.

Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on

education for life.

Universal retention by 2010.

Main feature of SSA:

1. Programme with a clear time frame for universal elementary education.
2. A response to the demand for quality basic education all over the country.
3. An opportunity for promoting social justice through basic education.
4. An expression of political will for universal elementary education across the
country.
5. A partnership between the central, state and the local government.
6. An opportunity for states to develop their own vision of elementary
education.
7. An effort at effective involving the Panchyati Raj Institutions, school
management Committees, village and urban slum level Education

Committees, parents Teachers Associations, Mother-Teacher Associations,

Tribal Autonomous councils and other grassroots level structures in the
management of elementary schools.

Aims of SSA:
1. To provide useful and elementary education for all children in the 6-14 age
group by 2010.
2. To bridge social, regional and gender gaps with the active participation of
community in the management of schools.
3. To allow children to learn about and master their natural environment in
order to develop their potential both spiritually and materially.
4. To inculcate value-based learning this allows children an opportunity to
work for each others well being rather than to permit mere selfish pursuits.
5. To realize the importance of Early Childhood Care and education and looks
at the 0-14 age as a continuum.
Objectives of SSA:
1. All children in school. Education Guarantee Centre, Alternate School, Backto-School camp by 2003.
2. All children complete five years of primary schooling by 2007.
3. All children complete of elementary schooling by 2010.
4. Focus on elementary education of satisfactory quality with emphasis on
education for life.
5. Bridge all gender and social category gaps at primary stage by 2007 and at
elementary education level by 2010.
6. Universal retention by 2010.

PADHE BHARAT BADHE BHARAT

Padhe Bharat Badhe Bharat is a nationwide sub-programme of Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan. Children who fail to read in early education lag behind in other
subjects. The programme is designed to improve comprehensive early
reading, writing and early mathematics programme for children in Classes I
and II. Under this programme, Rs. 762 crore was approved to States. The
programme will not only provide print rich environment, timely distribution of
books but will also include new teacher mentoring and appraisal system
Padhe Bharat-Badhe Bharat Padhe Bharat-Badhe Bharat is a new initiative of
NDA Government under Sarva Shiskha Abhiyan. It was launched in 2014 with
a twin track approach focussing on language and math as follows: Early
Reading and Writing with Comprehension (ERWC): To improve language
development by creating an enduring interest in reading and writing with
comprehension Early Mathematics (EM): To create a natural and positive
interest in mathematics related to their physical and social world. Thus, this
programme seeks to improve reading, writing and math skills of children.

RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAN

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) (Hindi for "National Mission for
Secondary Education") is a centrally sponsored scheme of the Ministry of
Human Resource Development, Government of India, for the development of
secondary education in public schools throughout India. It was launched in
March 2009. The implementation of the scheme has started from 2009-2010
to provide conditions for an efficient growth, development and equity for all.
The scheme includes a multidimensional research, technical consulting,
various implementations and funding support. The principal objectives are to
enhance quality of secondary education and increase the total enrollment
rate from 52% (as of 20052006) to 75% in five years, i.e. from 20092014. It
aims to provide universal education for all children between 1516 years of
age. The funding from the central ministry is provided through state
governments, which establish separate implementing agencies. The total
budget allocated during the XI Five Year Plan (2002-2007) was 2,012 billion.
Objectives
The objectives of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan can be summarised

as follows:
1.
To improve quality of education imparted at secondary level through
making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms.
2.

To remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers.

3.
Universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the
end of the XII Five Year Plan.
4.

Universal retention by 2020.

Action plans
RMSA is planned to promote secondary education by establishing in every
target school the following infrastructure:
1.

Additional class rooms

2.

Laboratories

3.

Libraries

4.

Art and crafts room

5.

Toilet blocks

6.

Drinking water provisions

7.

Residential hostels for teachers in remote areas

In addition it aims to provide additional teachers to reduce student-teacher to

30:1, focus on science, mathematics and English education, in-service
training of teachers, science laboratories, ICT-enabled education, curriculum
reforms, and teaching-learning reforms.

Planning for secondary education

Background

Since the initiation of the National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986, there
has been no major major changes in the structure and organization of the
secondary and higher secondary school systems under the Ninth Plan
period.

The focus in this plan was on minimising the various disparities, to renew
the curricula giving importance to vocationalisation and employmentoriented courses. It also give importance to expanding and diversifying

the open learning system, teacher training and ICT. Free education and
hostel facilities for girls and integrated education for the disabled children
was also brought into highlight, etc.
Participation of private sector
There was an increased participation of the private sector including nongovernmental organisations (NGOs). Currently, these private sectors
manage around 51% of the secondary schools and 58% of the higher
secondary schools.
Opportunities were provided for those children who were not able to enroll
themselves in formal education systems through national and state open
schools by utilising contact-centres and multi-media packages.
It highly emphasized on the content, process and the quality of education
especially the environment education, science, mathematics and computer
literacy with the financial help from the central government.
After the revised NPE policy, 1992, new intiatives like revision of
curriculum, resource centres for value education and National Centre for
Computer-aided Education etc. have been taken up.
The appeal lacks in the vocationalisation of education due to the lack of
manpower demand and academic restraints etc. Hence, by 2000, only 10%
of the students opt for the vocational streams against 25%.
Planning for children with special needs (CWSN)
With the enactment of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, the
education for the CWSN received am impetus. This act entrusts certain
governments and authorities for the provision of free access for these
children towards education, allotted lands for certain purposes, nondiscrimination in transports, financial incentive for them to undertake
research etc.
This scheme has also taken up programmes for the attitudinal changes
and capacity building among teachers for the sake of these children.
Four major heads

Quality improvement:

In school, there was promotion of the science laboratories, environmental

education, promotion of yoga, as well as centrally sponsored schemes of
population education project, international mathematics and science
olympiads. The state governments provide in-service training for the teachers
and provide infrastructure and research inputs.

Information communication technologies (ICT):

ICT comprises the centrally sponsored schemes like computer education and
literacy in schools (CLASS) and educational technology (ET) which familiarizes
the student with Information technology (IT). Due to the rise in IT demand in
today's world, a major importance is given on it. Components of a merged
scheme ICT in school include a) funding support towards computer education
plans; b) strengthening and reorientation of the staffs of SIETS - state
institutes of education and training; c) there is digitalisation of SIETs audio
and video cassettes with the partnership of NGOs; and d) management of
internet-based education by SIETs.

Access and equity:

RMSA not only emphasizes on providing secondary education for the special
focus groups that include scheduled tribe and scheduled caste groups,
minority girls and CWSN children, but it also give importance on removing the
existing disparities in socio-economic and gender background in the
secondary level of education. They are termed as the vulnerable/
disadvantaged group. Certain strategies were implemented to provide free
excess towards secondary education and they are given as following steps:
1.
Identification of the disadvantaged groups: For this purpose,
educational indicators like gross enrollment ratio (GER), net enrollment ratio
(NER), drop-out rate, retention rate, gender parity index (GPI), gender gap,
etc. were analysed.
2.
Need assessment: This is the critical step to prepare for the equity
plan where the factors affecting the education of this group of children were
evaluated with the involvement of the community members, teachers, civil
society, etc.
3.
Strategising for the addressing gaps: Since there are multiple
interwoven factors that cause the un-equitable condition in this scenario, the
strategy was called to have a set of multi-dimensional activities.
4.
Project-based proposal: Development of a project-based strategy
enables the RMSA to call for an evidence-based and outcome-oriented
strategy.

Integrated education for disabled children (IEDC):

Inclusive education have been highlighted to bring about expansion in terms

of meeting/catering to the needs of the mentally and physically
disadvantaged children. This schemes continues to be a separate centrally
sponsored scheme. It includes several components for convergence with
integrated child development services for early interventions, Sarva Shiksha
Abhiyan (SSA) for the particular group at the elementary level, and special
schools.
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)

Overview
This scheme was launched in March, 2009 with the objective to enhance
access to secondary education and to improve its quality. The implementation
of the scheme started from 2009-10. It is envisaged 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. The other objectives include 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.
Important Physical Facilities Provided Under The Scheme Are:
(i) Additional class rooms, (ii) Laboratories, (iii) Libraries, (iv) Art and crafts
room, (v) Toilet blocks, (vi) Drinking water provisions and (vii) Residential
Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.
Important Quality Interventions Provided Under The Scheme Are:
(i) appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1, (ii) focus on
Science, Math and English education, (iii) In-service training of teachers, (iv)
science laboratories, (v) ICT enabled education, (vi) curriculum reforms; and
(vii) teaching learning reforms.
Important Equity Interventions Provided In The Scheme Are:
(i) special focus in micro planning (ii) preference to Ashram schools for
upgradation (iii) preference to areas with concentration of SC/ST/Minority for
opening of schools (iv) special enrolment drive for the weaker section (v)
more female teachers in schools; and (vi) separate toilet blocks for girls.
Implementation Mechanism Of The Scheme
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.
Revision Of Certain Norms Of The Scheme
The Government of India has approved the following revised norms of RMSA,
with effect from 01.04.2013 :

To permit State/UT Governments to use State Schedule of Rates(SSOR)

or CPWD Rate, (whichever is lower) for construction of civil works
permissible under the RMSA.

To increase the Management, Monitoring Evaluation and Research

(MMER) from 2.2 percent to 4 percent of the total outlay under the
programme, with 0.5 percent of the 4 percent earmarked for national
level and the rest of the 3.5 percent as part of the State allocation. In
cases of States where even with this enhanced allocation of 3.5 percent
MMER would not be adequate and would hamper the activities under
the head, within the 3.5 percent of the overall State MMER component;
variations across State/UTs can be approved by the PAB, subject to a
maximum of 5 percent of the outlay in any particular State/UT.

To subsume the other Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Secondary

Education Information and Communication Technology (ICT)@ School,
Girls Hostel, Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary
Stage(IEDSS) and Vocational Education(VE) in their existing form under
the Umbrella of RMSA.

To extend the benefits of RMSA to aided Secondary Schools (excluding

infrastructure support/core areas, i.e. Teachers salary and Staff salary)
for quality interventions as per RMSA umbrella schemes components
for aided schools.

To continue existing fund sharing pattern of 72:25 for the remaining of

the 12th Plan the period for non-NER States and 90:10 for NER States
(including Sikkim).

To authorize the RMSA Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Ministry of

Human Resource Development to consider for approval Integrated Plan
of the umbrella scheme of RMSA, including the four subsumed
Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Secondary Education.

To authorize the release of funds to the RMSA State Implementation

Society directly for all components of the RMSA umbrella scheme.

About RMSA
Overview
Education provides the surest instrument for attaining sustainable
development of a high order in a country. In this regard, primary education
acts as the basic enabling factor for participation, freedom and overcoming of
basic deprivation; whereas secondary education facilitates economic
development and establishment of social justice. Over the years,
liberalisation and globalisation have led to rapid changes in scientific and
technological world and have prompted the general needs of improved
quality of life and reduced poverty. This undoubtedly necessitates the school
leavers to acquire higher levels of knowledge and skills than what they are
essentially imparted with throughout the eight years of elementary education.
Also, a crucial stage in the educational hierarchy, secondary education
empowers children to aggrandise nations by preparing them for higher
education and also the world of work.

Following the recommendations of New Education Policy of 1986 and

Programme of Action, 1992 the Government of India initiated different
schemes to support children of secondary and higher secondary schools at
different points in time. The IEDSS (formerly IEDC), Girls Hostel, Vocational
Education and ICT@schools schemes were started with the overall objective
of providing accessible, and relevant secondary education of good quality in
India. Started in 2009 in partnership with State Government and Local Self
Government, RMSA was the most recent addition to these four existing
schemes.
Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyhan
The Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan is a flagship scheme of
Government of India, launched in March, 2009, to enhance access to
secondary education and improve its quality. The implementation of the
scheme started from 2009-10 to generate human capital and provide
sufficient conditions for accelerating growth and development and equity as
also quality of life for everyone in India. Largely built upon the successes of
SSA and, like SSA, RMSA leverages support from a wide range of stakeholders
including multilateral organisations, NGOs, advisors and consultants, research
agencies and institutions. The scheme involves multidimensional research,
technical consulting, implementation and funding support. Currently in its
fourth year of implementation, RMSA covers 50,000 government and local
body secondary schools. Besides this, an additional of 30,000 aided
secondary schools can also access the benefits of RMSA; but not
infrastructure and support in core areas.
Objectives

The scheme envisages to achieve a gross enrolment ratio of 75% from

52.26% in 2005-06 for classes IX-X within 5 years of its
implementation, by providing a secondary school within reasonable
distance of any habitation.

Improve the quality of education imparted at secondary level by

making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms.

Remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers.

Provide universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e. by

the end of the 12th Five Year Plan

Enhance and universalize retention by 2020

Implementation mechanism of the scheme:

MHRD is the nodal central government ministry to coordinate RMSA

with the help of RMSA State Implementation Societies (SIS) in each state.

However, there are a lot of support arrangements and institutions available

for better implementation of RMSA. A National Resource Group (NRG)
provides guidance for bringing about reforms in teaching learning processes,
curriculum, teaching learning material, ICT education and mechanisms of
monitoring and evaluation. The Technical Support Group (TSG) supported by
MHRD, is a constituent of the NRG and has a direct reporting relationship with
the ministry. TSG provides technical and operational support and expertise to
national and state level teams.

Besides this, various sub-committees like Curriculum Reform

Subcommittee, Teacher and Teacher Development Subcommittee, ICT
Subcommittee and Planning and Management Subcommittee have been
constituted under NRG. These subcommittees comprise members from the
TSG and meet thrice a year to apprise themselves of the progress made on
mutually set goals and commitments. In addition, NCERT and NUEPA support
through dedicated RMSA units. RMSA-TCA has also been set-up for capacity
building support with the assistance of DFID. In terms of financial inputs, the
central share is released to the implementing agencies directly, whereas the
applicable state share is also released to the agencies by the respective State
Governments.
Physical Facilities

Quality Interventions

Equity Interventions

Additional class rooms

Laboratories

Libraries

Art and crafts room

Toilet blocks

Drinking water provisions

Residential Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.

Quality Interventions

Equity Interventions

Appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1

Focus on Science, Math and English education

In-service training of teachers

Science laboratories

ICT enabled education

Curriculum reforms; and

Teaching learning reforms.

Equity Interventions

Special focus in micro planning

Preference to Ashram schools for upgradation

Preference to areas with concentration of SC/ST/Minority for opening of

schools

Special enrolment drive for the weaker section

More female teachers in schools; and

Separate toilet blocks for girls.

RASHTRIYA MADHYAMIK SHIKSHA ABHIYAAN

Vision
The vision for secondary education is to make good quality education
available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of
14-18 years. With this vision in mind, the following is to be achieved

To provide a Secondary school within 5 kms and Higher Secondary

school within 7-10 kms

Ensure universal access of secondary education by 2017

Universal retention by2020

Providing access to secondary education with special references to

economically weaker sections of the society, the educationally
backward, the girls and the disabled children residing in rural areas and
other marginalized categories like SC,ST,OBC and Educationally
Backward Minorities

Objectives

To ensure that all secondary schools have physical facilities, staffs and
supplies at least according to the prescribed standards through
financial support in case of Government /Local Body and Government
Aided Schools and appropriate regulatory mechanism in the case of
other schools

To improve access to secondary schooling to all young persons

according to norms-through proximate location(say Secondary school
within 5 kms and HSS within 7-10 kms),efficient and safe transport
arrangements /residing facilities, depending on local circumstances
including open schooling. However in hilly and difficult areas these
norms can be relaxed. Preferably residential schools may be set up in
such areas

To ensure that no child is deprived of secondary education of

satisfactory quality due to gender, socio economic, disability and other
barriers

To improve quality of secondary education resulting in enhanced

intellectual, social and cultural learning

To ensure that all students pursuing secondary education receive

education of good quality

Achievement of the above objectives would also, inter-alia, signify

substantial progress in the direction of the common schooling system.

RASHTRIYA UCHCHATAR SHIKSHA ABHIYAN (RUSA)

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. 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. 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.
The funding to states would be made on the basis of critical appraisal of State
Higher Education Plans, which would describe each states strategy to
address issues of equity, access and excellence in higher education.
Objectives

The salient objectives of RUSA are to;

Improve the overall quality of state institutions by ensuring

conformity to prescribed norms and standards and adopt
accreditation as a mandatory quality assurance framework.

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.

Ensure reforms in the affiliation, academic and examination

systems.

Ensure adequate availability of quality faculty in all higher

educational institutions and ensure capacity building at all levels of
employment.

Create an enabling atmosphere in the higher educational

institutions to devote themselves to research and innovations.

Expand the institutional base by creating additional capacity in

existing institutions and establishing new institutions, in order to
achieve enrolment targets.

Correct regional imbalances in access to higher education by

setting up institutions in unserved & underserved areas.

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.

Components
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 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.

National Education Mission Sakshar Bharat

Saakshar Bharat programme comprises the schemes of Literacy campaigns
Adult Education & Skill Development. Support to Jan Shikshan Sansthan etc
Support to NGOs/Institutions/SRCs for Adult Education & Skill Development
scheme assimilates the two existing schemes of Support to NGOs in the field
of Adult Education and Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS). Under the scheme,
financial support is being provided to NGOs for imparting literacy to adult
non-literates in the age group of 15-35 years. The State Resource Centres
(SRCs) managed by the NGOs also receive support under this programme.
Directorate of Adult Education Directorate of Adult Education (DAE) has been
functioning as the National Resource Center in the field of Adult Education.
The Directorate was set up as subordinate office of the Department of
Elementary Education & Literacy under the Ministry of Human Resource
Development to provide academic and technical resource support to various
government and non-government agencies implementing Adult Education
Programme in the country. The DAE is fully funded by the central Govt.
National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) National Literacy Mission Authority
was set up in 1988 as an autonomous wing of the Department of School
Education & Literacy for implementation of the programmes of the National
Literacy Mission. National Education Mission: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) focuses on universalization of elementary education in
the country. The NDA Government has also launched a new initiative Padhe
Bharat, Badhe Bharat under this to focus specially on language and math.
National Education Mission: Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA)
While focus of SSA is elementary education, the focus of RMSA, which was
launched in 2009-10, is secondary education. National Education Mission:
Teachers Training It comprises the following three schemes: Strengthening of
Teachers Training Institutions: This scheme aims to prepare teaching staff of
global standards. The Scheme envisages integration of teacher education
with the overall education development in the States in keeping with the
mandate of RTE. It will also help in the expansion of the capacity of the
Teacher Education Institutions specially in some of the deficit States of East
and North-Eastern Region and also address the problem of large number of
untrained teachers. Appointment of Language Teachers: The financial
assistance under the scheme is given for appointment of Hindi Teachers in
schools in non-speaking States/Uts, Urdu teachers in any locality where more
than 25% of the population is from Urdu speaking community and Modern
Indian Language Teachers to teach a third language in those schools of Hindi
speaking States/Uts that demand them. School Assessment Programme: This
Programme for assessment of schools performance. Pandit Madan Mohan
Malviya National Mission for Teachers Training The government was planning
to rename the teacher training umbrella after Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya to
create synergies among the various ongoing initiatives on teachers and
teaching. The scheme will address all issues related to teachers, teaching,
teacher preparation, professional development, curriculum design. It also
aims to develop a strong professional cadre of teachers by setting
performance standards and creating top class institutional facilities for

innovative teaching. The scheme will also address the need to induct qualified
teachers, attracting talent into teaching profession and raising the quality of
teaching in schools and colleges.