of specified learning outcomes shall be the emphasis of classroom interactions, and
textbooks will be relegated to become just one of the many resources available to
teachers and students for achieving these learning standards. Since learning outcomes
can be attained through a variety of pedagogies and assessment formats, the NCFSE
presents an inclusive and holistic approach to the access of school education by
stressing upon them.
5.2 At the implementation level
5.2.1 Schemes for school education: The implementation of the RTE Act and the Sarva
Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) have been crucial in ensuring that all children in elementary
school (Classes I through VIII) have access to education. In the neighbourhood, there
are now significantly more primary and upper primary schools, most of which were
sanctioned under SSA. In 2021–2022,25 according to the norms of the neighbourhood,
the Gross Access Ratio (GAR) of the educational facility at the primary level is 97.49
per cent of habitations and 97.01 per cent at the upper primary level. The Rashtriya
Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), which was established with the aim to expand
secondary school access and enhance its quality, has achieved a GAR of 95.48 per
cent within a 5 km radius.
All the above schemes are now subsumed under Samagra Shiksha,26 an integrated
scheme for school education covering all levels from pre-school to senior secondary.
The Centrally Sponsored Samagra Shiksha Scheme offers assistance to states and UTs
in many areas, including the improvement of current facilities, the opening of new
schools based on GIS mapping, funding for additional teachers, special training for
out-of-school children and interventions for children with disabilities.
5.2.2 Initiatives of the Government of India to bridge the digital divide
A comprehensive initiative, PM e-Vidya27 was launched by the Ministry of Education,
Government of India, as a part of the Atma Nirbhar Bharat Programme. It unifies all
efforts related to digital/online/on-air education to enable coherent multi-mode access
to education with the aim to bridge the digital divide. It includes:
DIKSHA28 (Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing) is the One Nation One
Digital Platform for School Education. The content includes over 6700 Energized
Textbooks and 3.17 lakh e-contents in 29 Indian and seven Foreign languages.
Swayam Prabha29 or learning through 200 TV Channels (which has more than 13,000
e-contents in 31 languages).Learning through Radio30/Podcasts, through which more
than 4200 content pieces is already disseminated, and E-content for students with
disabilities, with over 4200 Audio books, 4000+ contents in Indian Sign Language,
etc., all hosted on DIKSHA.
UDISE+data, 2021-22.
Samagra Shiksha, Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India (GoI).https://samagrashiksha.
ssagujarat.org/en/home.
27
PM e-Vidya, MoE, GoI,https://pmevidya.education.gov.in/.
28
DIKSHA, MoE, GoI,https://www.diksha.gov.in/.
29
Swayam Prabha, MoE, GoI,https://www.swayamprabha.gov.in/.
30
Gyan Vani, NCERT, https://ciet.ncert.gov.in/gyanvani.
25
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