Education Welfare Schemes

In a welfare economy, state intervention in education is a constitutional and economic necessity to ensure equitable human capital formation. Under the Social Sector Schemes of the Indian Economy, education welfare programs are designed to address structural disparities, improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), and minimize dropout rates across primary, secondary, and higher education tiers.

Constitutional and Legislative Framework

The rights and directives governing education welfare in India span across multiple constitutional provisions:

• Article 21A: Inserted via the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, making free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14 years a Fundamental Right.
• Article 45: A Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) mandates that the State shall endeavor to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.
• Article 51A(k): Imposes a Fundamental Duty on parents or guardians to provide education opportunities to their child or ward between the ages of 6 and 14 years.

Core Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS)

Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

Launched in 2018, Samagra Shiksha is an overarching program for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class 12. It subsumed three erstwhile Centrally Sponsored Schemes: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), and Teacher Education (TE).

• Objective: To ensure inclusive and equitable quality education from pre-school to senior secondary stage in alignment with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4.1.
• Key Components: Support for digital initiatives like DIKSHA, strengthening of teacher training institutes (DIETs), and provisioning of transport facilities for children in remote areas.

Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN)

Formerly known as the National Programme of Mid-Day Meal in Schools, this scheme provides one hot cooked meal per day to eligible children.

• Coverage: Children studying in Balvatika (just before class 1) and Classes 1 to 8 in Government and Government-aided schools.
• Nutritional Norms: Primary stage students receive 450 calories and 12 grams of protein per day; upper primary stage students receive 700 calories and 20 grams of protein per day.
• Tithi Bhojan: A community participation component where people provide special food to children on occasions like festivals, birthdays, or anniversaries.

PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI)

Launched in 2022, this scheme aims to develop more than 14,500 schools managed by Central, State, and Local bodies.

• Objective: To showcase the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and emerge as exemplar schools over time.
• Features: Green schools integrating solar panels, LED lights, waste management, and water conservation alongside modern pedagogy like toy-based learning.

Schemes for Minority and Vulnerable Sections

New India Literacy Programme (NILP) / ULLAS

Approved for implementation during the financial years 2022-2027, the Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society (ULLAS) initiative targets non-literates aged 15 years and above.

• Components: Foundational Literacy and Numeracy, Critical Life Skills (financial literacy, legal literacy, digital literacy), Vocational Skills Development, and Continuing Education.
• Implementation: Driven heavily through volunteerism and digital modes, utilizes the ULLAS Mobile App.

Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV)

Residential schools set up under Samagra Shiksha to ensure access and quality education to girls from disadvantaged groups.

• Target Group: Girls belonging to SC, ST, OBC, Minority communities, and Below Poverty Line (BPL) families in Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs).
• Scope: Expanded under NEP guidelines to provide residential schooling facilities up to Class 12.

Higher Education Welfare and Digital Infrastructure

Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) / PM-USHA

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) is the revamped version of RUSA, operating as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to fund state higher educational institutions.

• Objective: To improve equity, access, and excellence in state higher education systems by setting up new institutions and upgrading existing ones.
• Focus: Prioritizes unserved and underserved areas, aspirational districts, and districts with low Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER).

National Digital Infrastructure Initiatives

The government leverages technology to maximize the reach of educational welfare through diverse open-source and digital platforms:

• SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active-Learning for Young Aspiring Minds): An indigenously developed IT platform hosting massive open online courses (MOOCs) covering school, undergraduate, and postgraduate levels.
• SWAYAM PRABHA: A group of 40 DTH (Direct-to-Home) channels devoted to telecasting high-quality educational programs 24/7 using the GSAT-15 satellite.
• National Digital Library of India (NDLI): A virtual repository of learning resources that provides single-window search facilities to learners across all academic levels.

Scholarship and Financial Assistance Matrices

National Means-cum-Merit Scholarship Scheme (NMMSS)

• Target: Meritorious students of economically weaker sections to arrest dropouts at class 8.
• Eligibility: Parental income from all sources must not exceed INR 3,50,000 per annum. Students must secure a minimum of 55% marks in Class 7.
• Quantum: Award of 100,000 scholarships per annum at INR 12,000 per annum per student from Class 9 to Class 12.

Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students (CSSS)

• Target: Non-professional and professional degree students belonging to economically weaker families.
• Eligibility: Students who are above the 80th percentile of successful candidates in the relevant stream from the respective Board of Examination in Class 12. Income ceiling is INR 4,50,000 per annum.

Welfare Economics and Socio-Economic Indicators

The economic rationale behind financing these education programs targets specific performance metrics defined by the NITI Aayog and international bodies:

• Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER): India aims to raise the higher education GER to 50% by 2035 under NEP 2020.
• Gender Parity Index (GPI): Measures the relative access to education of males and females. A GPI of 1 indicates parity; current schemes have pushed primary school GPI above 1.
• Human Capital Index (HCI): Published by the World Bank, it calculates the amount of human capital a child born today can expect to attain by age 18, where educational quality and years of schooling form critical components.

Trivia and Prelims-Specific Facts

• The first National Education Policy of India was formulated in 1968 under the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, based on the recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1964–1966).
• Education is a Concurrent List subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India. It was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List via the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976.
• The Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE) is the highest advisory body to advise the Central and State Governments in the field of education, originally established in 1920.