Samagra Shiksha
🧭 Understanding the Context: Why Samagra Shiksha?
Imagine trying to fix the education system by working on pre-primary, primary, secondary, and teacher training — all separately, with multiple departments, schemes, and disconnected policies. It becomes a bureaucratic maze. India faced exactly this situation until 2018, when it was realized that education is not a fragmented journey but a continuous process from preschool to Class 12.
So, what did the government do?
They brought in Samagra Shiksha, which literally means “Holistic Education.” This is not just another scheme — it is a comprehensive platform to reform, unify, and uplift school education as a continuum.
Let’s understand this in detail:
🔍 Quick Overview: Snapshot of the Scheme
| Feature | Description |
| Purpose | To holistically improve school education from pre-school to Class 12 |
| Scheme Type | Centrally Sponsored Scheme |
| Implementing Body | State Implementation Society (SIS) in each State/UT |
| Tenure | 2021–2026 |
🎯 Objectives: What Does It Aim to Achieve?
Samagra Shiksha works like a bridge — connecting access, equity, and quality in school education. Its goals include:
- Universal Access to education at all stages.
- Equity and Inclusion — no child left behind.
- Quality Improvement through better infrastructure, teacher training, and digital initiatives.
- Vocationalisation of Education — preparing students for life, not just exams.
- Support for RTE Act, 2009 — helping states implement the Right to Education effectively.
- Strengthening of Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) — because good teachers build a good nation.
🔧 Salient Features: What Makes It Comprehensive?
To understand Samagra Shiksha, think of it as an umbrella that combines three major earlier schemes into one:
| Subsumed Schemes | What They Did |
| Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) | Universalized elementary education (Class 1–8) |
| Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) | Focused on access and quality in secondary education |
| Teacher Education Scheme | Strengthened teacher training and academic support |
By integrating these, Samagra Shiksha brought a single administrative structure to streamline planning, implementation, and monitoring — making it less redundant and more result-oriented.
💰 Funding Pattern: Who Pays How Much?
| Region | Fund Sharing (Centre: State) |
| NE & Himalayan States | 90:10 |
| Other States | 60:40 |
| Union Territories | 100% Central funding |
👧 Special Focus Areas: Where Does It Prioritize?
1. Girl Education
- Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) upgraded to Class 12
- Self-defense training for girls
- Reinforces Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao
2. Digital Education
- Support for Operation Digital Board in secondary schools
- Strengthening digital platforms like:
- UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education)
- Shagun Portal (for monitoring school education)
3. Educational Glossary
- Launch of Shiksha Shabdkosh, a terminology bank for school education to ensure consistency and understanding.
🏛️ Structural and Administrative Reforms
- A unified structure for faster decision-making
- A detailed Samagra Shiksha Framework by DoSEL defines:
- Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Physical & financial targets for every component
🌐 Coverage & Holistic Impact
- Covers:
🔹 1.16 million schools
🔹 156 million+ students
🔹 5.7 million teachers - Ensures:
- Quality education for all
- Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) for child-centric support
- Equitable, inclusive classrooms with skill development emphasis
📘 RTE Act Amendments
To promote inclusivity, the RTE Act schedule was amended to provide special education teachers in mainstream schools:
| Level | Pupil–Teacher Ratio |
| Primary | 1 teacher per 10 disabled students |
| Upper Primary | 1 teacher per 15 disabled students |
🧭 Alignment with NEP 2020: Samagra Shiksha 2.0
Samagra Shiksha is not static. It evolves with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, through initiatives such as:
| Initiative | Purpose |
| SARTHAQ | NEP implementation plan for students & teachers |
| NIPUN Bharat | Foundational literacy & numeracy by Grade 3 by 2026–27 |
| Foundational Learning Study (FLS) | Assessment of Class 3 learners |
| Vidya Pravesh | 3-month play-based school prep for Grade 1 |
| Vidyanjali 2.0 | Online platform to connect volunteers with schools |
| KGBVs | Residential schooling for disadvantaged girls up to Class 12 |
| Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Avasiya Vidyalayas | For remote/hilly areas requiring student accommodation |
| NISHTHA 4.0 (ECCE) | Online teacher training for Early Childhood Care and Education |
🧩 Conclusion
In the story of India’s development, education is the silent foundation. Without reforming how our children are taught, no amount of economic or digital progress can be sustained. Samagra Shiksha, with its integrated, inclusive, and forward-looking approach, is not just a scheme — it’s a vision for India’s human capital.
For UPSC aspirants, this is a multi-dimensional scheme relevant for:
- GS-II (Education & Governance)
- Essay Paper (Human Capital, Inclusive Growth)
- Optional (if Sociology or Public Administration)
- Interview (policy understanding)