Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries

Template: State Specific Note

State Specific Note

I. Introduction
(Why is this topic important for the States/ UTs ? Highlight the data evidence to support the
same)

II. Current Situation

(Current policy landscape, programmes, schemes and their progress)

III.Challenges
(Major policy, programmatic and capacity building gaps affecting the working of the States/ UTs
Administration)

IV. Possible Solutions

(Proposed ideas, actions that can be undertaken by different stakeholders. Scope for
convergence with other schemes/ programmes)
 Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries
Template: State Specific Note

V. Best Practices
(International (if any), Major Initiatives undertaken by States/ UTs Administration. May also
include initiatives for training and capacity-building that have been taken for effective
implementation; Strategic communication campaigns undertaken to disseminate the programme;
convergence; new technologies used for effective implementation)

VI. Priority Areas

(Selected for implementation by the States in the next 5 years)

VII. Way Forward – Strategy for Implementation

(Modality for implementation – Legal, Administrative, Technological, Budgetary reforms

required for implementation)

Instructions for writing the State Specific note:

 Fifth National Conference of Chief Secretaries
Template: State Specific Note

1. References :
● In-text citing as well as the listing of all the references used for compiling the data
and information.
● Hyperlinks can be added in the document
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3. Any case study on the impact of the initiatives (District/State level) undertaken may be
shared (along with high resolution photographs). Alternatively, short films on the
initiatives may be shared.
4. Photographs and snapshots/Screenshots of the Virtual Conferences along with broad
participant list may be shared.
5. If the State has worked out any long term vision for the next 25 years, details of the same
along with Implementation strategy may be shared.
 Theme 5th CS Conference: Human Capital for Viksit Bharat
Concept Note: Schooling – Building Blocks
Introduction
The vision of "Viksit Bharat," articulated by the Hon'ble Prime Minister, aims to transform
India into a developed1 nation by 2047, coinciding with the 100th year of its independence. This
ambitious goal necessitates continuous goal setting and achievement across all sectors. The strategy is
built upon four pillars of human development- Shishu (Infant), Balya (Child), Yuva (Youth), and
Vyaska (Adult), specifically encompassing Mahilaye (Women) and Annadata (Farmers). Achieving
Viksit Bharat demands a holistic approach, integrating economic growth with social equity, global
competitiveness, environmental sustainability, industrial modernization, good governance, and India's
emergence as a global knowledge superpower. Crucially, a "whole of government" approach is
essential to foster a unified, resilient, and future-ready ecosystem for India's human resources, from
infancy to a skilled adult workforce. At the very foundation of this human capital formation lies quality
school education, serving as the essential "building block."
India stands at a pivotal moment to harness her demographic dividend, defined by the United Nations
Population Fund as the economic growth potential arising from a larger working-age population
relative to non-working ages. With 48.43% of its population in the 3 to 29 age group 2 and a median
age3 of 28.7 years- significantly lower than that of the USA, China, and many other nations, India
possesses a substantial window of opportunity. Over 60% of its population is currently in the working-
age group (15 - 59 years), projected to peak at 68.9% by 20304, presenting an unparalleled demographic
advantage for becoming Viksit Bharat. However, realizing this potential is contingent upon ensuring
accessible, quality education and skilling opportunities for every child aged 3-18 years across the
country.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 marks a transformative shift in the 21st century's
educational landscape. This path breaking policy envisions a radical transformation in school
education, aiming for "an education system rooted in Indian ethos that contributes directly to
transforming India, that is Bharat, sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by
providing high quality education to all, thereby making India a global knowledge superpower."
Accordingly, NEP 2020 advocates for an evolved pedagogy that is experiential, holistic, integrated,
inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centred, discussion-based, flexible, and, critically,
enjoyable. It is designed to equip India's youth to navigate the diverse national and global challenges
of the present and future.
Furthermore, the NEP 2020 emphasizes the paramount importance of quality education across all
stages of school education. Quality education is not merely a life-changing experience; it is a mind-
crafting and character-building endeavour that profoundly impacts citizenship. Therefore, ensuring
every child has access to quality education is the foundational step in empowering them to acquire
fundamental skills, progress to advanced learning, and ultimately contribute to the creation of a "Viksit
Bharat."
Current Situation: A robust and high-quality schooling system is fundamental for India to realize its
vision of a 'Viksit Bharat'. Schooling is the initial and most critical stage in nurturing the cognitive,
social, and emotional capabilities of India's future workforce and citizens. To this end, a wide range of
interventions and initiatives have been undertaken across all levels of school education. These include:
1) Improving Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) and Net Enrolment Ratio (NER): India boasts
one of the world's largest school education systems, encompassing 14.72 lakh schools, over 98

1 By World Bank Standards, this implies reaching Gross National Income per capita of USD > 18,220 by 2047
2 UN Population Division
3 United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), 2024
4 UN Population Statistics 2022

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 lakh teachers, and 24.80 crore students from pre-primary to higher secondary levels. This vast
system caters to students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with government schools
constituting the majority at 69.14%, followed by private (22.5%), aided (5.5%), and other
schools (2.86%). Substantial advancements have been made in ensuring universal access to
elementary education, primarily attributed to sustained government initiatives such as the Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, which were subsumed under the
Samagra Shiksha scheme in 2018 to provide an integrated framework for school education
from pre-primary to senior secondary. This is evidenced by a Gross Access Ratio (GAR)5 of
97.83% for primary and 96.57% for upper primary schooling facilities. The current strategic
imperative is to realize the NEP 2020's objective of attaining a 100% GER from pre-school
through secondary levels by 2030. Furthermore, improving the NER is crucial, as age-
appropriate admissions optimize learning outcomes by ensuring children are developmentally
ready for the curriculum, leading to more effective instruction and reduced learning difficulties.
Structure GER NER
6
Foundational 77.7 74.0
Preparatory 96.5 71.4
Middle 89.5 64.4
Secondary 66.5 50.9
UDISE+ 2023-24

2) Basic Schooling Facilities: Over the past decade, substantial progress has been made in
saturating schooling facilities. Through centrally sponsored schemes like Samagra Shiksha and
various initiatives at the State and UT level, efforts are underway to provide essential amenities
in government schools. The focus is on strengthening existing schools, facilitating new
openings, and ensuring critical infrastructure, including toilets, drinking water, ramps,
handrails, boundary walls, etc. The strategic objective is to attain 100% saturation of these
basic facilities by 2025-26.
Schooling Facility 2013-14 2023-24
Total Government Schools 10,95,374 10,17,660
Drinking Water 83.2 98.4
Girls Toilet 90.6 97.1
Boys Toilet 85.7 94.8
CwSN friendly toilets - 34.4
Hand wash 39.3 94.8
Library 77.9 92.7
Electricity 48.9 92.4
Ramps 65.2 85.1
Play ground 61.6 79.3
Medical checkups 65.86 75.16
Source: UDISE+

3) Saturation of aspirational facilities in schools: Realizing the NEP 2020's objective of a 100%
Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) across all educational strata necessitates robust aspirational
infrastructure at the secondary level. Although considerable advancement has been achieved
over the past six years, UDISE+ data indicates persistent gaps in facility saturation. For
example, functional computers are available in only 50.9% schools. Accordingly, a targeted
outlay of Rs. 5,989.91 crores have been sanctioned to furnish 91,456 Secondary/Senior
Secondary schools with essential ICT laboratories, Smart Classrooms, and Science laboratories
(including integrated labs). In a further push, and aligning with the Budget 2025 announcement,
fifty thousand new Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) are slated for establishment in government

5Samagra Shiksha AWP&B 2025-26

6GER & NER at Foundational stage is calculated using both Pre-Primary enrolments in formal and enrolments in Anganwadi’s from
MoWCD

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 schools over the next five years, aimed at cultivating curiosity, innovation, and a scientific
temper. Currently, only 33,155 out of 302,864 secondary schools have ATLs. Furthermore, the
BharatNet project will provide broadband connectivity to all government secondary schools in
the rural areas.
Facility (Figures in %) 2018 2024
Lab facilities for Higher Secondary Schools (Total No. 69,041)
Physics Lab 31.49 76.26
Chemistry Lab 31.09 76.53
Biology Lab 28.65 74.61
Mathematics Lab 8.79 43.10
Lab facilities for Secondary/Higher Secondary Schools (Total No.
1,22,247)
Integrated Science Lab 37.39 50.17
ICT Lab (Grade VI and above) - 30.25
Computer Lab 51.65 60.32
Smart Classroom (Grade VI and above) - 38.62
Internet 6.5 46.2
Source: UDISE+

4) Special emphasis on Socio-Economically Disadvantaged Groups (SEDGs): To facilitate

learning for all students, the scope of school education has been broadened to facilitate multiple
pathways to learning involving both formal and non-formal education modes. Open and
Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes is being implemented by the National Institute of Open
Schooling (NIOS) and State Open Schools7 for meeting the learning needs of young people in
India who are not able to attend a physical school. Additionally, different government and state
initiatives significantly broadens educational access vital for Socio-Economic Disadvantaged
Groups. The Samagra Shiksha scheme significantly expands educational access beyond
traditional schooling by providing crucial residential facilities. This includes Kasturba Gandhi
Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Awasiya Vidyalaya (NSCBAV),
which are vital for children from Socio-Economic Disadvantaged Groups. Currently, 5,133
KGBVs are enrolling 712,986 students, and 1,126 NSCBAVs accommodate 106,045 students.
A decision has also been taken to saturate all KGBVs with ICT and Smart Classrooms. Further,
in a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Samagra Shiksha has significantly
expanded hostel facilities for tribal students, sanctioning 243 hostels across 16 states under the
PM JANMAN scheme and an additional 604 hostels across 22 states under the DAJGUA
scheme.

5) Focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN): Significant progress toward

universal Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) by Grade 2 is being driven by initiatives
like the NIPUN Bharat Mission (launched July 5, 2021), redefined NEP 2020 Lakshyas, and
the annual Vidya Pravesh School Preparation Module (since 2022-23). This focus is further
strengthened by the inclusion of Balvatika/pre-primary sections in nearly 6 lakhs of 12.29 lakh
primary schools with a focus on having at least one year of pre-primary education in a school-
based pre-school class/balvatika for the age group 5 to 6, alongside the extension of PM
POSHAN to Balvatikas. ASER 2024 confirms NIPUN Bharat's positive impact, showing
significant improvement in foundational literacy and numeracy skills, particularly strong in
government schools, which underscores the critical need to extend these efforts into higher
grades.

6) Formulation of new curriculum and textbooks: Adhering to the principles of NEP 2020, the
National Curriculum Frameworks (NCFs) for the Foundational Stage and School Education

7State Open Schools are in 11 States i.e., Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Telangana and West Bengal.
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 have been developed, with States and UTs currently in various stages of adoption and
contextualization. A notable innovation to emphasize experiential learning is the Learning
Teaching Material, Jadui Pitara and its digital version, which states are adopting or
contextualizing. Moreover, new textbooks for Grades 1 to 8 have been developed aligned with
these NCFs, specifically incorporating local content and flavour.
State Curriculum Framework Status of Implementation
SCF- Foundational Stage • 11 States Published/contextualized: Andhra Pradesh,
Assam, Goa, Gujarat, Jharkhand, Maharashtra,
Meghalaya, Nagaland, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand &
Uttar Pradesh
• 2 State/UT- Translation of NCF-FS: Ladakh in Bhoti
language; West Bengal in Bengali
• 6 States/UT in process: Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Jammu
& Kashmir, Mizoram, Odisha & Tripura
SCF- School Education • 2 States prepared SCF-SE: Maharashtra & Rajasthan
• 2 State/UT- Translation of NCF-SE: Ladakh in Bhoti
language; West Bengal in Bengali
• 13 States in process: Andhra Pradesh, Assam,
Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Goa, Gujarat, Jammu &
Kashmir, Jharkhand, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha,
Tripura & Uttarakhand

7) Promoting multilingualism in schools: Multilingual education is gaining widespread

adoption across the country, with 56% mandating teaching of local languages, and 67%
adopting regional languages as the first language. To support this, the National Curriculum
Framework for School Education (NCF-SE) has been translated into nine languages. In
alignment with NEP 2020, the primary language for the foundational stage will also be the
home language/mother tongue/local language. Additionally, primers have been developed in
117 regional languages, and textbooks for Grades One and Two are now available in twenty-
two scheduled Indian languages. Digital platforms like PM e-Vidya, along with initiatives such
as the Tamil TV Channel, ULLAS Channel, and Bhasha Sangam on DIKSHA, are actively
promoting language learning through accessible, multilingual content. Furthering these efforts,
the Bharatiya Bhasha Summer Camp, a nationwide festival celebrating multilingualism, was
launched across all schools on May 19 2025.

8) Integration of Skilling: NEP 2020 aims to integrate skill education programmes into
mainstream education in a phased manner, beginning with exposure to skilling at an early age
i.e., in the middle and secondary school. The centrally sponsored schemes of the government
such as the Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI and STARS8 schemes are significantly enhancing skill
education by incorporating practical provisions. These include provisions such as tools and
equipment, hands-on student training, pre-skill exposure at the middle school level, internships
with local artisans, and 10 bagless days. The goal is to provide rich, practical learning
experiences. Currently, 28,342 schools offer skill education to 31.94 lakh students across 101
job roles in 25 different sectors. Moreover, National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF)-
compliant skill modules are available as an additional subject for students in Grades 9 and 10,
becoming a compulsory elective for those in Grades 11 and 12.

9) Continuous Professional Development of Teachers: To ensure the sustained professional

growth of teachers, multiple initiatives have been undertaken. Prominently, National Initiative
for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) program delivers integrated
training across all school stages effectively leveraging the DIKSHA online platform.

8 STARS implemented in 6 States i.e., Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha and Rajasthan
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 Concurrently, 613 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs) are undergoing phased
upgrades to Centres of Excellence to innovate teacher training through modern pedagogy,
continuous professional development, and ICT integration. Furthermore, State Councils of
Educational Research and Training (SCERTs) are being transformed into model centers of
innovation and research, equipped with aspirational resources for infrastructure, digital
technology, curriculum review, skill education, and collaborative research.

10) Leveraging technology for educational management: Significant strides have been made in
using technology for data and evidence-based management within India's education system.
The Rashtriya Vidya Samiksha Kendra (RVSK) serves as a central hub, aggregating and
analyzing school education data from VSKs nationwide to inform policy and program
decisions. VSKs are now operational across the CBSE, NCERT, and nearly all States and Union
Territories (excluding Bihar, Kerala, and West Bengal), with RVSK integrating 30 States/UTs
to track attendance for approximately 884,000 schools, 4.15 million teachers, and 102.6 million
students. This technological advancement also supports the implementation of the APAAR ID,
with 13.70 crore (55%) IDs already generated. Furthermore, 3.73 lakh e-content pieces are
available on DIKSHA in 126 Indian and 7 foreign languages.

11) PM ScHool for Rising India (PM SHRI): The scheme's core intent is to prepare over 14,500
PM SHRI Schools by comprehensively strengthening them to embody all NEP 2020 initiatives.
These schools are envisioned to emerge as exemplar institutions over time, providing vital
leadership and guidance to other schools in their vicinity. Currently, 13,076 schools have been
selected from 33 States, UTs, and KVS/NVS/NCERT, comprising 1,305 Primary, 3,102
Elementary, 3,135 Secondary, and 5,534 Senior Secondary schools.

12) Ensuring equitable education for Children with Special Needs (CwSN): Significant
progress is underway to ensure equitable and accessible education for all, including children
with special needs (CWSN), aligning with NEP 2020. Under Samagra Shiksha, provisions for
CWSN cover 18.53 lakh children, with an approved outlay of Rs. 699.11 crores for 2025-26.
This includes separate stipends for CWSN girls, annual block-level camps for early
identification with mandated data maintenance by States/UT data under the RPwD Act, and
equipped Block-level Resource Centers for rehabilitation and training. These efforts are further
bolstered by digital initiatives like PM e-Vidya's DTH ISL channel (Channel 31), the
PRASHAST Mobile App for disability screening, and audiobooks/ISL content on DIKSHA.

Issues and Challenges:

1) Educational Disparity: India faces a significant human capital challenge, starkly highlighted
by the gap between its low Mean Years of Schooling (7.33 years) and high Expected Years of
Schooling (13.3 years). Compounding this imbalance is a notably low Gross Enrolment Ratio
(GER), particularly evident at the Secondary level (66.5%). To attain the NEP 2020 goal of
100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from pre-school to secondary level by 2030, available
capacity of secondary/senior secondary schools needs to be considerably upgraded if all
children in upper primary schools are to be accommodated. For this purpose, a comprehensive
school, block, and district-level analysis needs to be conducted to accurately determine actual
gaps in intake capacity across various grades.

2) Bridging the NER gap: The consistently lower NER across all levels, notably at 50.9% for
Secondary education, indicates that a substantial number of age-eligible children are either out
of school or enrolled in grades not corresponding to their age. This widespread age-grade
disparity, whether due to late entry, grade repetition, or early dropouts, creates heterogenous
classrooms, making it challenging for teachers to deliver age-appropriate curriculum
effectively. Consequently, this leads to suboptimal learning outcomes, exacerbates existing
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 learning gaps, and contributes to increased dropout rates as students feel disengaged or out of
place. So far, 30 States and UTs have taken out notifications for age of admission in grade 1 as
6 years.

3) Student Dropout challenges: A significant number of children, unfortunately, drop out across
various levels, particularly during transitions between schools and in instances of migration.
UDISE+ indicates approximately 1.54 crore potential dropouts nationwide in 2023-24. The
National Sample Survey (2023-24) has also revealed that there are 1.90 crore out of school
children in the country i.e., 48.9 lakh never enrolled in schools and 1.42 crores dropped out of
school. Further, as per UDISE+ the dropout rate at the Foundational, Preparatory and
Secondary stage is 3.7%. 5.2% and 10.9%, respectively. The dropout rate for girls at the
foundational and secondary stage is much lower than the boys while it is slightly higher than
the boys in the middle stage. A contributing factor to this challenge is the fragmented school
system, which leads to around 1.07 crore students leaving school due to the unavailability of
admission at higher levels.
Structure Overall Dropout Rate Dropout Rate
Boys Girls
Preparatory 3.7 3.9 3.5
Middle 5.2 5.2 5.3
Secondary 10.9 12.3 9.4
UDISE+ 2023-24

4) Multiple Category of Schools: India is also home to the largest and most complex education
system with ten different school categories running parallelly i.e., Primary (1-5)- 50%; Upper
Primary (1-8)- 23.3%; Upper Primary (6-8)- 6.1%; Secondary (1-10)- 5%; Secondary (6-10)-
2.9%; Secondary (9-10)- 1,9%; Higher Secondary (1-12)- 5.2%; Higher Secondary (6-12)-
2.7%; Higher Secondary (9-12)- 1.8%; and Higher Secondary (11-12)- 1.1%. This structural
complexity means approximately 73.4% of students undergo an admission process at least three
times during their schooling, potentially adding significant disruption to their educational
journey.

5) Single Teacher and Zero Enrolment Schools: UDISE+ data reveals that within government
schools, 4302 primary schools and 543 upper primary schools have zero enrolment, and a
substantial number are single-teacher schools (86470 primary schools and 10548 upper primary
schools). These conditions create suboptimal learning environments and represent a significant
inefficiency in resource allocation, particularly in remote areas. It would serve students better
to have multi-grade and multi-teacher schools, as this will lead to better learning experiences
and improvement of Learning Outcomes.

6) Infrastructure and resource gap: A significant challenge to achieving educational goals,

especially the widespread implementation of NEP 2020 initiatives and the scaling of programs
like PM SHRI, is the pervasive infrastructure and resource gap across many schools. As per
UDISE+ 2023-24, only 50% schools have integrated labs while 30% have ICT labs and 38%
have Smart Classrooms. This would require raising of resources both at the state and national
level.

7) Learning Outcomes: While the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024 indicates a positive
recovery trend from the learning losses evidenced in the National Achievement Survey (NAS)
2021, significant foundational learning gaps persist across key subjects. In NAS 2021, language
proficiency in Grades 3, 5, and 8 stood at a concerning 62%, 55%, and 53% respectively, with
Mathematics even lower at 57%, 44%, and 36%. Although PARAKH 2024 shows improvement
with language reaching 64%, 57%, and 54% for Grades 3, 5, and 9, and Mathematics at 60%,
46%, and 37% for the same grades, these levels still indicate a substantial proportion of students

6
 lacking adequate proficiency in fundamental skills as they progress through the schooling
system. Further corroborating this, recent ASER 2024 results highlight the improvement in
performance of students in Grades 3, 5 and 8, who are enrolled in government schools, in
reading levels as well as basic arithmetic. With a focus on Competency Based Assessment for
Holistic Development, the focus is on implementing Holistic Progress Card at all levels.

8) Teacher Vacancies and Capacity Gaps: A notable challenge is the number of vacant teaching
positions across government schools, with 15.11% at the elementary level, 13.13% at the
secondary level, and 11.99% at the senior secondary level. These vacancies lead to an increased
burden on existing staff, compromised student-teacher ratios, and often, a detrimental impact
on the quality and continuity of instruction. Compounding this, there are also significant
vacancies of teacher educators in State Councils of Educational Research and Training
(SCERTs) and District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), presently at 35.48% and
41.31% respectively, which critically undermines efforts to provide quality pre-service and in-
service professional development for teachers nationwide. Other systemic issues are also
adding to this challenge such as: limited rollout of the 4-year Integrated Teacher Education
Programme (ITEP), Quality concerns in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs), lack of linkages
between in-service training and career progression, etc.

9) Low coverage of Skilling at the Secondary level: Presently, only 2.5% of the total students enrolled
in Grades 6 to 12 are covered under Skill Education. There is need to expand the reach and to make
the skill education option more acceptable through integration of skill education programmes
into mainstream education, beginning with exposure to skill education from the middle stage.
This would lead to emphasizing the dignity of labour and importance of various vocations
involving /Indian arts and artisanship.

10) Low coverage of Children with Special Needs: Despite overall enrolment gains, a critical
challenge persists in providing comprehensive and inclusive schooling for Children with
Special Needs (CWSN), reflected by their mere 0.85% enrolment. This limited coverage stems
from inadequate accessible infrastructure, insufficient specialized teacher training, a dearth of
assistive devices, and limited individualized support within mainstream schools. Overcoming
this requires targeted efforts to cultivate truly inclusive learning environments, ensuring every
CWSN not only accesses but also receives quality, tailored education. Special efforts are
required to reduce the high dropout rates of CwSN at upper primary and secondary levels.

11) Private Schools: While governments focus on education reforms in government schools, a
large number of students study in self-financed private and government aided schools, where,
beyond the 5 to 10% schools, there is much to be desired in terms of quality holistic education.
No nation-wide school education reform can be complete without including these schools in
its scope.
Way Forward: Possible Solutions/ Issues for Deliberation
▪ Boosting Education Investment: To fully realize India's demographic potential and foster a
globally competitive workforce, achieving NEP 2020's 6% GDP target for education
investment is crucial. This necessitates increased funding for school education, exploring
innovative financing and PPPs. Further, Central government funding to States/UTs must be
linked to performance and demonstrable outcomes for efficient resource utilization.

▪ Capacity development for spending: Past trends indicate that States and UTs frequently do
not fully utilize their approved financial outlays, with expenditure ranging from 50 to 90% of
the allocated budget under Samagra Shiksha. Hence, there is a need to enhance their fund
utilization capabilities to ensure expenditure is in closer alignment with the allocated budget.

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▪ Improve Education Index and HDI Ranking: To significantly improve India's Education
Index score (currently 0.372) and rank in the Human Development Index, all States and UTs
must prioritize: maintaining high age-specific enrolment ratios, promoting continuous
reskilling/upskilling, and critically, demonstrably enhancing learning levels across all
educational stages. While the Expected Years of Schooling (EYS) has commendably risen to
13.3 over the last four years, significant ground still needs to be covered to reach the 2030
target of 15 years and eventually reach the 18-year EYS benchmark, which is characteristic of
developed nations.

▪ Enhance Infrastructure for 100% GER: To achieve 100% GER by 2030, upgrading existing
schools and construction of additional classrooms are imperative. States and UTs must urgently
plan sufficient higher secondary infrastructure, necessitating a comprehensive analysis of
intake capacity gaps at school, block, and district levels.

▪ School availability and Continuity: Simplify the existing ten parallel school categories to
reduce admissions-related disruption and improve student transitions. An analysis of school
enrolment and drop out data indicates lower dropouts in areas where students have access to
composite schools offering a continuum of education from grades 1 to 12.

▪ Developing secondary/higher secondary schools on the lines of PM SHRI schools:

Drawing on the experience of PM shri Schools in saturating facilities under the identified 22
parameters, the States and UTs may explore various funding opportunities duly dovetailing
Government of India schemes to saturate all the remaining government secondary and higher
secondary schools on similar lines.

• Strengthen Identification & Re-enrolment: Enhance existing efforts like house-to-house

enumeration, based on UDISE+ data, APAAR ID, etc., to identify school drop outs and never
enrolled children and effective utilization of resources under various schemes/initiatives to
ensure all children in the 6 to 18 age group are enrolled in age-appropriate classes.

▪ Sustaining and Extending FLN Efforts: Building on NIPUN Bharat's success, development
of Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) must be vigorously sustained and extended into
preparatory and middle grades. This requires continuous monitoring, targeted remedial support
for lagging students, and adaptive teaching methods to consolidate foundational skills as
students advance.

▪ Strengthening the Middle Stage: The middle stage of education (Grades 6-8) needs special
attention. These critical years bridge foundational learning and secondary education, directly
impacting India's 2047 Viksit Bharat goals. The future of today's 10-year-olds hinges on their
experiences in the next 3-5 years. Investing in this stage is crucial for securing their trajectory
and, by extension, the nation's future.

▪ Address Teacher and Teacher Educator Vacancies and capacity gaps: Urgently fill all
vacant teaching and teacher educator positions in schools, SCERTs, and DIETs. This requires
streamlined, time-bound recruitment, rational deployment for equitable distribution, and
avenues for career progression, to retain qualified teacher/educators, especially in remote areas.
Simultaneously, strengthen SCERT and DIET capacity and infrastructure to enhance teacher
preparation and continuous professional development. The capacity of teachers needs to be
mapped against the standards prescribed by NPST and effectively utilized the platform of
NMM to enhance the same.

▪ Leverage AI for Pedagogical Enhancement: With established state digital education

platforms and NCERT's DIKSHA Personalized Adaptive Portal, the immediate priority is a

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 collaborative effort to determine how Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be effectively leveraged
to support and improve pedagogical practices. This includes exploring AI for personalized
learning, teacher support, content delivery, and adaptive assessments. Capacity building of
teachers may be focus on innovative and world-class pedagogy that includes AI and other
frontier technologies such as AR/VR among others.

▪ Mainstream Skill Education: Integrate skill education programs into mainstream education
from the middle school stage, making them an integral part of the curriculum. This could
include introducing short-term internships, local industry exposure days, and real-world,
project-based modules in collaboration with MSMEs, rural enterprises, and district skilling
centres.

▪ Maximizing Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) coverage: Despite a
reported enrolment of about 11 crores students in Balvatika and Grades 1 to 8 in 10.35 lakh
government and aided schools under the PM POSHAN scheme, only 8.31 crore i.e., 76% are
actually availing mid-day meals on any given school day. A concerted effort to boost daily
meal uptake is essential to maximize the scheme's impact on student well-being and learning
outcomes.

▪ Equivalence of Boards: PARAKH assessment centre is collaborating with 34 States Boards,

CISCE and CBSE for reforming assessment as per NEP 2020. There is also need to achieve
Equivalence of Boards with respect to curriculum and assessment to ensure comparability and
consistency in educational standards across all recognized school boards in India to promote
student mobility and parity in academic performance. Boards should also become awarding
bodies and assessment authority for skilling so that National Credit Framework can be
effectively harmonized with NCF-SE.

▪ Life skills and holistic personality development: Integrating holistic education aspects such
as climate and lifestyles for the environment, human values, and social/national service with
existing curricular frameworks will help nurture students with a balance of IQ, EQ and SQ,
which are vital in the 21st century. This can be achieved by expanding the activities and
improving the outcomes of Eco Club for Mission LiFE.

▪ Involving families and communities for educational development: Many of today’s parents
are beneficiaries of the last decade’s efforts to universalize elementary education. Building on
this and based on the context and age, locally appropriate efforts to bring parents, especially
mothers, on to the education stage is needed. The School Management Committees (SMCs)
provide a suitable platform for community involvement and need to be encouraged to more
actively associated with the day to day functioning of the schools.
▪ Creating robust mentorship and career advisory platforms and ecosystem for high school
students: This would address the issue of handling stress of competitive exams and entrance
exams, thereby enabling students to opt for career pathways that are aligned with their innate
interests rather than parental/peer/societal pressure.

▪ Effective use of social media: There is a need to prioritize digital literacy and guide students
towards positive, purposeful content that fosters learning and creativity. This would also require
implementing clear boundaries and monitoring, including age-appropriate platforms and screen
time limits.

▪ Include Private Schools in Reforms: Develop policies and frameworks to bring self-financed
and government-aided private schools into the ambit of nationwide education reforms, ensuring
quality and holistic education standards across all school types. The focus should also be on

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 establishment and strengthening of State School Standards Authority (SSSA) for transparent
affiliation and academic audits, as envisaged in NEP 2020.

▪ Governance reforms for systemic transformation: Effective governance is vital for

improving education by optimizing instructional time, ensuring data-driven accountability, and
achieving equitable teacher deployment. This means implementing reforms like digital
timetabling and academic calendars to maximize teacher "Time-on-Task" and ensure efficient
use of mandated instructional hours. Simultaneously, leveraging technology such as digital
attendance and e-monitoring apps strengthens accountability and drives performance.
Furthermore, governance reforms are crucial for equitable teacher deployment across districts,
using data-driven models to address uneven distribution and ensure balanced workloads and
adequate academic support in schools.

▪ Effective coordination with Ministry of Women and Child Development (WCD): Children
enter grade 1 from different streams ranging from pre-primary sections in schools to 3 years in
Anganwadi or direct entry to grade 1 leading to a wide disparity in their learning levels at the
entry stage. This necessitates effective coordination with the WCD to ensure an equivalence of
learning levels for all students as they transition into Grade 1.

▪ Convergence with Health Department: The platform provided by School education, where
children spend 12 to 15 years, can be leveraged for better health of children, including mental
wellness, in collaboration with the Health Department for effective implementation of
initiatives such as the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), Anemia Mukt Bharat,
National Deworming Day, etc.

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