Context-Ministry of HRD is implementing the Scheme of Vocationalisation of School Education to promote vocational education among children.

• Ministry of Human Resource Development is implementing the Scheme of Vocationalisation of School Education under the umbrella of ‘Samagra Shiksha-an integrated scheme for school education.
• Under the scheme a vocational subject is offered for Classes IX to XII along with the general education to provide necessary employability and vocational skills for variety of occupations.
• The Scheme of Vocationalisation of School Education under the umbrella of ‘Samagra Shiksha’ is implemented in all the States and Union Territories.
• Education being a subject in the Concurrent List of the Constitution and the majority of schools are under the jurisdiction of the State Governments, it is for the respective State/Union Territory Government to adopt/adapt the NCERT model textbooks,having contents on GST and basic law tenets, and the ICT curriculum for teachers and students,for their schools.

Samagra Shiksha Scheme

• The Department of School Education and Literacy (MoHRD) has formulated the Samagra Shiksha – an Integrated Scheme for School Education as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme and it is being implemented throughout the country with effect from the year 2018-19.
• This programme subsumes the three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) and Teacher Education (TE).
• It is an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education at all levels of school education.
• It envisages the ‘school’ as a continuum from pre-school, primary, upper primary, secondary to senior secondary levels. 

The major objectives of the Scheme are

• Provision of quality education and enhancing learning outcomes of students;
• Bridging Social and Gender Gaps in School Education;
• Ensuring equity and inclusion at all levels of school education;
• Ensuring minimum standards in schooling provisions;
• Promoting Vocationalisation of education;
• Support States in implementation of Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009; and
• Strengthening and up-gradation of SCERTs/State Institutes of Education and DIET as a nodal agencies for teacher training.

Major Features

1. Holistic approach to education

• Single Scheme for the School Education Sector from Classes I to XII- extension of interventions to senior secondary stage.
• Treat school education holistically as a continuum from Pre-school to Class 12
• Supporting States to initiate pre-primary education
• Inclusion of senior secondary levels and pre-school levels in support for School education for the first time

2. Administrative reform

• Single and unified administrative structure leading to harmonized implementation
• Flexibility to States to prioritise their interventions under the Scheme
• An integrated administration looking at ‘school’ as a continuum

3. Enhanced Funding for Education

• The budget has been enhanced.
• Learning outcomes and steps taken for quality improvement will be the basis for allocation of grants under the Scheme.

4. Focus on Quality of Education

• Emphasis on improvement of Learning Outcomes
• Enhanced Capacity Building of Teachers
• Focus on strengthening Teacher Education Institutions like SCERTs and DIETs to improve the quality of prospective teachers in the system
• SCERT to be the nodal institution for in-service and pre-service teacher training – will make training dynamic and need-based.
• Key focus on quality education emphasizing capacity building of teachers in online and offline mode as well as strengthening of Teacher Education Institutions SCERT/DIET/BRC/CRC/CTEs/IASEs.
• Annual Grant per school for strengthening of Libraries
• Almost 1 million schools to be given library grant .
• Enhanced focus on improving quality of education by focus on the two T’s – Teachers and Technology
• Outcome oriented allocation of resources

5. Focus on Digital Education

• Support ‘Operation Digital Board’ in all secondary schools over a period of 5 years, which will revolutionize education- easy to understand, technology based learning classrooms will become flipped classrooms.
• Enhanced use of digital technology in education through smart classrooms, digital boards and DTH channels
• Digital initiatives like Shala Kosh, Shagun, Shaala Saarthi to be strengthened
• Strengthening of ICT infrastructure in schools from upper primary to higher secondary level.
• “DIKSHA”, digital portal for teachers to be used extensively for upgrading skills of teachers
• Enhanced Use of Technology to improve access and provision of quality education – ‘Sabko Shiksha Achhi Shiksha’

6. Strengthening of Schools

• Emphasis on consolidation of schools for improvement of quality
• Enhanced Transport facility to children across all classes from I to VIII for universal access to school
• Increased allocation for infrastructure strengthening in schools
• Composite school grant increased and to be allocated on the basis of school enrolment.
• Specific provision for Swachhta activities – support ‘Swachh Vidyalaya’
• Improve the Quality of Infrastructure in Government Schools

7. Focus on Girl Education

• Empowerment of girls
• Upgradation of KGBVs from Class 6-8 to Class 6-12 .
• Self-defence training for girls from upper primary to higher secondary stage
• Stipend for CWSN girls to be provided from Classes I to XII. – earlier only IX to XII.
• Enhanced Commitment to ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’

8. Focus on Inclusion

• Allocation for uniforms under RTE Act enhanced per child per annum.
• Allocation for textbooks under the RTE Act, enhanced per child per annum. Energized textbooks to be introduced.
• Allocation for Children with Special Needs (CwSN) increased from Rs. 3000 to Rs. 3500 per child per annum. Stipend of Rs. 200 per month for Girls with Special Needs from Classes 1 to 12.
• Commitment to ‘Sabko Shiksha Achhi Shiksha’

9. Focus on Skill Development

• Exposure to Vocational Skills at Upper Primary Level would be extended.
• Strengthening of vocational education at secondary level as an integral part of curriculum
• Vocational education which was limited to Class 9-12, to be started from class 6 as integrated with the curriculum and to be made more practical and industry oriented.
• Reinforce emphasis on ‘Kaushal Vikas’

10. Focus on Sports and Physical Education

• Sports equipment will be provided to all schools under this component.
• Sports Education to be an integral part of curriculum
• Every school will receive sports equipments under the scheme to inculcate and emphasize relevance of sports in the school curriculum
• Support ‘Khelo India’

11. Focus on Regional Balance

• Promote Balanced Educational Development
• Preference to Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs), LWEs, Special Focus Districts (SFDs), Border areas and the 115 aspirational districts identified by Niti Aayog
• ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’ and Sabko Shiksha Achhi Shiksha