14-Dec-2022: 14500 schools to be strengthened under the recently approved PM SHRI scheme

The Cabinet has approved a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme named Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) on 7th September, 2022. These schools will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood. They will provide leadership in their respective regions in providing high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.

Under the scheme there is provision of setting up of more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools by strengthening the existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central government/State/UT Government/local bodies. Maximum two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ULB with upper limit of number of total schools across India.     

The duration of scheme is proposed to be from 2022-23 to 2026-27; after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools. The total cost of the project will be Rs 27360 crore spread over a period of 5 years which includes central share of Rs 18128 crore.

Selection of PM SHRI schools will be done through Challenge Mode wherein Schools compete for support to become exemplar schools. Selection would be done through a three-stage process with definite time lines, which is as follows: -

Stage-1: States/UTs would sign MoU with Centre laying down the commitments for supporting these schools for achieving specified quality assurance as PM SHRI schools.

Stage-2: In this stage, a pool of schools that are eligible to be selected as PM SHRI Schools would be identified based on prescribed minimum benchmark through UDISE+ data.

Stage-3: This stage is based on the challenge method for fulfilling certain criteria. Only the schools from the above eligible pool of schools would compete to fulfil the challenge conditions. Fulfilment of conditions would be certified by states/KVS/JNV through physical inspection. As the schools would be selected through challenge method, there would not be any predefined state/UT-wise break-up of schools. States/UTs are to recommend the list of schools to Ministry of education for selection as PM SHRI schools.

The major interventions in the PM SHRI Scheme which will be used for modern, transformation and holistic method of imparting education are:

1. Quality and Innovation (Learning Enhancement Programme, Holistic Progress Card, Innovative Pedagogies, Bagless days, Internships with Local artisans, Capacity building etc.)
2. Beneficiary oriented Entitlements under RTE Act
3. Annual School Grants (Composite School grants, Library grant, Sports grant)
4. Early Childhood Care and Education including Balvatika and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
5. Equity and Inclusion including provision of safe and appropriate infrastructure for girls and CWSN.
6. Encouraging flexibility in choice of subjects offered to students.
7. Encouraging mother tongue as medium of instruction using technological interventions to help bridge language barriers between teachers and students.
8. ICT, smart classrooms and digital libraries for using digital pedagogy.
9. Strengthening of existing infrastructure
10. Vocational interventions & Enhancing internship/entrepreneurship opportunities especially with local industry. Mapping of skills with developmental projects/nearby industry and develop courses/curriculum accordingly.

12-Dec-2022: Setting up of Schools under PM SHRI Scheme

The Cabinet has approved a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme named Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) on 7th September, 2022. These schools will showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over a period of time, and also offer leadership to other schools in the neighbourhood. They will provide leadership in their respective regions in providing high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.

Under the scheme there is a provision of setting up of more than 14500 PM SHRI Schools by strengthening the existing schools from amongst schools managed by Central government/State/UT Government/local bodies. As the schools would be selected through challenge method, there would not be any predefined state/UT-wise break-up of schools. Maximum two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ULB with upper limit of number of total schools across India.

The duration of scheme is from 2022-23 to 2026-27; after which it shall be the responsibility of the States/UTs to continue to maintain the benchmarks achieved by these schools. The total cost of the project will be Rs 27360 crore spread over a period of 5 years which includes central share of Rs 18128 crore.

Education is in the concurrent list of Constitution of India and an admission criterion in schools is determined by respective State/UT Government.

7-Sep-2022: Cabinet approves a new centrally sponsored Scheme - PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India)

The Union Cabinet today, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, approved a new centrally sponsored scheme - PM SHRI Schools (PM ScHools for Rising India). This will be a new scheme for development of more than 14500 schools across the country as PM SHRI Schools by strengthening select existing schools being managed by Central Government/ State/ UT Government/ local bodies. PM SHRI Schools will showcase all components of the National Education Policy 2020, act as exemplar schools and also offer mentorship to other schools in their vicinity. The PM SHRI schools will deliver quality teaching for the cognitive development of students and will strive to create and nurture holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with key 21st century skills.

Scheme of PM SHRI  schools (PM ScHools for Rising India) is to be implemented as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with a total project cost of Rs. 27360 crore which includes a central share of Rs. 18128 crore for the period of five years from year 2022-23 to 2026-27.

Key features

• PM SHRI will provide high-quality education in an equitable, inclusive and joyful school environment that takes care of the diverse background, multilingual needs, and different academic abilities of children and makes them active participants in their own learning process as per the vision of NEP 2020.
• PM SHRI Schools will provide leadership to other schools in their respective regions by providing mentorship.
• The PM SHRI  Schools will be developed as Green schools, incorporating environment friendly aspects like solar panels and LED lights, nutrition gardens with natural farming, waste management, plastic free, water conservation and harvesting, study of traditions/practices related to protection of environment, climate change related hackathon and awareness generation to adopt sustainable lifestyle.
• Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, play/toy-based (particularly, in the foundational years) inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible and enjoyable.
• Focus will be on learning outcomes of every child in every grade. Assessment at all levels will be based on conceptual understanding and application of knowledge to real life situations and will be competency-based.
• Assessment of the resources available and their effectiveness in terms of availability, adequacy, appropriateness, and utilisation for each of the domains and their key performance indicators will be done and gaps will be filled in a systematic and planned manner.
• Linkage with Sector Skill Councils and local industry for enhancing employability and providing better employment opportunities will be explored.
• A School Quality Assessment Framework (SQAF) is being developed, specifying the key performance indicators to measure outcomes. Quality evaluation of these schools at regular interval will be undertaken to ensure the desired standards.

Major illustrative interventions of Scheme of PM SHRI Schools (PM Schools for Rising India) are:

1. Quality and Innovation (Learning Enhancement Programme, Holistic Progress Card, Innovative Pedagogies, Bagless days, Internships with Local artisans, Capacity building etc.)
2. Beneficiary oriented entitlements under RTE Act. 100% of PM SHRI Schools will receive Science and Math Kits.
3. Annual School Grants (Composite School grants, Library grant, Sports grant)
4. Early Childhood Care and Education including Balvatika and Foundational Literacy and Numeracy
5. Equity and Inclusion including provision of safe and appropriate infrastructure for girls and CWSN.
6. Encouraging flexibility in choice of subjects offered to students.
7. Encouraging mother tongue/local languages as medium of instruction using technological interventions to help bridge language barriers.
8. ICT, smart classrooms and digital libraries for using digital pedagogy. 100% of the PM SHRI Schools will be covered under ICT, smart classrooms and digital initiatives.
9. Strengthening of existing infrastructure
10. Vocational interventions & Enhancing internship / entrepreneurship opportunities especially with local industry. Mapping of skills with developmental projects/nearby industry and develop courses/curriculum accordingly.
11. Saturation approach will be adopted to develop these schools with all modern facilities. Science labs, Library, ICT facility and Vocational labs etc. will be provided to all the schools.
12. Green School initiatives

Further, the scheme envisages convergence with existing schemes /Panchayati Raj Institutions/ Urban Local bodies and community participation for infrastructure upgradation of the school and creation of facilities.

Implementation strategy

1. PM SHRI Schools would be implemented through the existing administrative structure available for Samagra Shiksha, KVS & NVS. The other autonomous bodies would be involved on specific project basis as required.
2. These schools shall be monitored vigorously to assess progress and understand the challenges faced in implementation of National Education Policy 2020.

Selection Methodology:

Selection of PM SHRI schools will be done through Challenge Mode wherein Schools compete for support to become exemplar schools. Schools would be required to self-apply on the online portal. The portal will be opened four times a year, once every quarter, for first two years of the scheme.

The Elementary schools (Class 1-5/1-8) & the Secondary/ Sr. Secondary Schools (Class1-10/1-12/6-10/6-12) managed by Centre/State/UT Governments / local self-governments having UDISE+ code would be considered for selection under the Scheme.  Selection would be done through a three-stage process with definite time lines, which is as follows: -

1. Stage-1: States/UTs would sign MoU agreeing to implement NEP in entirety with Centre laying down the commitments for supporting these schools for achieving specified quality assurance as PM SHRI schools.
2. Stage-2: In this stage, a pool of schools that are eligible to be selected as PM SHRI Schools would be identified based on prescribed minimum benchmark through UDISE+ data.
3. Stage-3: This stage is based on the challenge method for fulfilling certain criteria. Only the schools from the above eligible pool of schools would compete to fulfill the challenge conditions. Fulfillment of conditions would be certified by States/KVS/JNV through physical inspection.

States/UTs/KVS/JNV shall verify the claims reported by Schools and recommend the list of schools to the Ministry.

Maximum two schools (one Elementary & one Secondary/Senior Secondary) would be selected per block/ULB with upper limit of number of total schools across India. Geo-tagging of schools for the selection and monitoring of PM SHRI schools will be done. The services of Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N) will be taken for geo-tagging and other related tasks. An Expert committee would be constituted for final selection of schools.

Quality Assurance of PM SHRI Schools

1. Showcase of NEP 2020
2. Student registry  for tracking enrolment and learning progress
3. Improvement in learning outcomes of each child to achieve levels above state and national average
4. Every middle grade child exposed/oriented to cutting edge and 21st century skills
5. Every secondary grade child passes out with at least one skill
6. Sports, Arts, ICT for every child
7. Sustainable and Green schools
8. Each school linked/connected to Higher Education Institutions for mentoring
9. Every school linked/connected to local entrepreneurial ecosystem
10. Every child counselled for psychological well-being and career
11. Students will be rooted to knowledge and heritage of India, proud of civilizational ethos and values of Bharat, aware of India's contribution to the world, conscious of duties towards society, living beings and the nature, communicatively competent in Indian languages, respecting inclusivity, equality and unity in diversity, sense of service and furthering the spirit of  'Ek Bharat Shreshth Bharat'.
12. Character-building, citizenship values, fundamental duties and responsibilities towards nation-building.

These schools will be developed as vibrant schools focusing on all round development of children.

Beneficiaries

More than 18 lakh students are expected to be direct beneficiaries of the scheme. Further impact will be generated through the mentoring and handholding of the schools in vicinity of PM SHRI schools.

5-Sep-2022: PM announces PM-SHRI Yojana

On the occasion of Teacher's Day today, the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has announced development and upgradation of 14,500 schools cross India under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana.

The PM-SHRI schools will have a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education. Shri Modi said that he is certain that the PM-SHRI schools will further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of NEP.

The Prime Minister tweeted;

"Today, on #TeachersDay I am glad to announce a new initiative - the development and upgradation of 14,500 schools across India under the Pradhan Mantri Schools For Rising India (PM-SHRI) Yojana. These will become model schools which will encapsulate the full spirit of NEP."

"The PM-SHRI schools will have a modern, transformational and holistic method of imparting education. Emphasis will be on a discovery oriented, learning centric way of teaching. Focus will also be on modern infra including latest technology, smart classrooms, sports and more."

"The National Education Policy has transformed the education sector in the recent years. I am certain that the PM-SHRI schools will further benefit lakhs of students across India in the spirit of NEP."

7-Dec-2022: Universalisation of quality Education under SSA

The Department of School Education and Literacy with effect from 2018-19 has launched an Integrated Centrally Sponsored Scheme for School Education- Samagra Shiksha . The scheme has now been aligned with the recommendations of NEP 2020 to ensure that all children have access to quality education with an equitable and inclusive classroom environment which should take care of their diverse background, multilingual needs, different academic abilities and make them active participants in the learning process.

The major objectives of the Scheme are: (i) Support States and UTs in implementing the recommendations of the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020); (ii) Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009; (iii) Focus on Early Childhood Care and  Education; (iv) Emphasis on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy; (v) Thrust on Holistic, Integrated, Inclusive and activity based Curriculum and Pedagogy to impart 21st century skills among the students; (vi) Provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students; (vii) Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education; (viii) Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education; (ix) Strengthening and up-gradation of State Councils for Educational Research and Training (SCERTs)/State Institutes of Education and District Institutes for Education and Training (DIET) as nodal agency for teacher training; (x) Ensuring safe, secure and conducive learning environment and maintenance of standards in schooling provisions and (xi) Promoting vocational  education.

Under Samagra Shiksha, various interventions have been targeted for girls, which include opening of schools in the neighbourhood to make access easier for girls, free uniform and text-books to girls up to Class VIII,  additional teachers and residential quarters for teachers in remote/hilly areas,  appointment of additional teachers including women teachers, stipend to CWSN girls from class I to class XII , separate toilets for girls, teachers' sensitization programmes to promote girls participation, gender-sensitive teaching-learning materials including text books etc.

Further, under Samagra Shiksha, special state specific  projects for varied interventions  under  equity are emphasized for enhancing  access,  retention  and  quality for girls  by  promoting  enrolment  drives,  retention and motivation camps, gender sensitization modules etc. Such projects include life skills, awareness programmes, incinerators, sanitary pad vending machines etc.

To reduce gender gaps at all levels of school education, there is a provision of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) under Samagra Shiksha. KGBVs are residential schools from class VI to XII for girls belonging to disadvantaged groups such as SC, ST, OBC, Minority and Below Poverty Line (BPL). The KGBVs are set up in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs) of a State/UT where the female rural literacy rate is below the national average. Under Samagra Shiksha, provision has been made to upgrade/converge the KGBVs/Girls' Hostel, as feasible, up to senior secondary level.

As far as the public financing by the Central Government is concerned, the Budget Estimate under Samagra Shiksha during 2022-23 is Rs. 37383.36 crore, an increase of 20.40% from revised estimate of Rs. 31050.15 crore of year 2021-22.

18-Jan-2017: ‘ShaGun’ - a web-portal for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.

The Union HRD Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar launched a dedicated web portal ‘ShaGun’ for the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan at New Delhi today. ‘ShaGun’ aims to capture and showcase innovations and progress in Elementary Education sector of India by continuous monitoring of the flagship scheme - Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA). The Union HRD Minister also unveiled the ‘Toolkit for Master Trainers in Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs’, which has been prepared by World Bank in collaboration with Ministry of Human Resource Development.

On this occasion, the Union Minister also reiterated government’s commitment for improving the ‘Quality’ of Education. He said that in this direction Ministry of HRD will be codifying the learning outcome to set assessment standards for abilities with regards to comprehension, mathematics, language etc. and thus ensuring that “all children acquire at least the minimum levels of learning” from Class I to Class VIII under Right to Education Act, 2009.

Learning Outcomes are assessment standards indicating the expected levels of learning that children should achieve for that class. These outcomes can be used as check points to assess learning at different points of time. The learning outcomes would help teachers to understand the learning levels of children in their respective classes individually as well as collectively. Learning outcomes should be the point of reference for conducting achievement surveys. Hence it is necessary that the defined Learning Outcomes are also shared with parents and community at large. Ministry of HRD has uploaded draft document on its website in this regard to invite comments and suggestions through email. 

Shri. Prakash Javadekar, Hon’ble Minister of Human Resource Development launching this e-initiative termed it as a global democratic forum enabled by technology which will give a peek in the Indian elementary education scenario and spread constructive lessons. He highlighted that this first-of-its kind platform will give due recognition to people, State governments, schools, teachers working towards improving Elementary Education across the country. The Union Minister further emphasized that ShaGun will help monitor progress of implementation of SSA by assessing performance of States and UTs on key parameters and thereby serve as a platform for the central government for effective planning and deliver on the promise of providing quality education to all.

ShaGun, which has been coined from the words ‘Shala’ meaning Schools and ‘Gunvatta’ meaning Quality, has been developed with a twin track approach.

First, is the Repository with an engaging interface that focuses on positive stories and developments in the field of School Education. In this repository, best practices will be documented in the form of videos, testimonials, case studies, and images, which will display state-level innovations and success stories that are driving improvements in performance under SSA. This repository has a decentralized management structure that enables State governments to choose, upload and manage their own content.

Secondly, it has an online monitoring module to measure state-level performance and progress against key educational indicators. It has been developed to collect and report data which will enable the government and administrators to track the efficiency with which SSA funds are being utilized and the results that this is delivering. SSA is a centrally sponsored scheme providing universal access to education to children in the age group of six to fourteen years of age.

Also, ‘Toolkit for Master Trainers in Preparing Teachers for Inclusive Education for Children with Special Needs’ is the series of five training modules will provide the teachers with practical information on effective inclusion of CWSN and build those pedagogical practices that would address the needs of all children with special needs.