New Delhi: The Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) provides assistance to State Governments and UTs to ensure free and compulsory quality elementary education for all children in the age group of 6-14 years in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory (RTE) Act, 2009. Against the estimate of 20.78 crore children in the 6-13 age group as per Census, 2011, 19.67 crore children are enrolled at elementary level as per Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), 2015-16.
Universal enrolment at elementary level is the primary goal of SSA. It has provided 2.04 lakh primary and 1.59 lakh upper primary schools for ensuring universal provisioning of schooling facilities. Preference for opening of school is given to tribal areas, and areas with high concentration of Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and minority population. Under the SSA, the districts with high concentration of population of SCs, STs and Muslims have been identified as Special Focus Districts (SFDs). The criteria for identifying the SFDs in case of SCs and STs is a population of 25% and above, while for Muslims, it is 20% and above population.
Through the interventions made under SSA in SFDs, at the national level the enrolment share of SC children at elementary level is 19.78% as per UDISE, 2015-16, whereas their share in population is 16.6% (as per Census 2011). Similarly, the enrolment share of ST children at elementary level as per UDISE 2015-16, is 10.35%, whereas their share in population is 8.6% (as per Census 2011).
Besides, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs), which are upper primary residential schools for girls belonging predominantly to the SC, ST, Other Backward Caste and minorities, have played an important role in furthering the goal of girls’ education in educationally backward blocks of the country. Under the SSA, provisions have also been made for residential schools/hostels for children living in sparsely populated areas, children living in areas where schools cannot be opened due to unavailability of land and children in need of care and protection.
Additionally, madarsas/makatabs which are affiliated to the State Boards of Secondary Education/State Madarsa Boards and are desirous of introducing the State curriculum, are eligible for grant for textbooks, in-service teacher training, school grant and teacher grant under SSA.
This information was given by the Minister of State (HRD), Shri Upendra Kushwaha today in a written reply to a Lok Sabha question.
