India’S National Education Policies and Major Centrally Sponsored Schemes

Education in India operates as a subject on the Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule following the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976. The Union Government establishes broad policy frameworks and funds large-scale welfare programs, while State Governments manage administrative execution and localized implementation. Over the decades, national policies have shaped the structural evolution of the Indian education landscape, supported directly by Centrally Sponsored Schemes that provide targeted financial assistance and capacity-building resources to states.

Evolution of National Education Policies

India has introduced three major National Education Policies since independence to align public instruction with socioeconomic needs. Each policy marked a shift in pedagogical approach, structural framework, and governance priority.

National Policy on Education 1968

The first national policy emerged from the recommendations of the Kothari Commission (1964-66). It focused on radical reconstruction to improve quality and equalize educational opportunity.

• It recommended allocating 6% of the National Income to education.
• It introduced the 10+2+3 educational structure across Indian states.
• It institutionalized the Three-Language Formula in secondary schools to promote regional languages alongside Hindi and English.
• It prioritized the expansion of primary school infrastructure and free compulsory education up to age 14.

National Policy on Education 1986

The second policy focused on removing disparities, equalizing educational access, and expanding vocationalization. It underwent minor modifications in 1992 under the Program of Action.

• It launched Operation Blackboard in 1987 to provide minimum essential physical facilities to primary schools.
• It established Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, fully residential schools for talented rural children.
• It expanded open and distance learning through the Indira Gandhi National Open University.
• It placed special emphasis on early childhood care, adult literacy missions, and female literacy programs.

National Education Policy 2020

Drafted under the chairmanship of Dr. K. Kasturirangan, the policy replaced the 1986 framework. It aims to transform India into a global knowledge superpower.

• It replaces the 10+2 structure with a 5+3+3+4 curricular model covering ages 3 to 18.
• It sets a target of 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio in school education by 2030 and 50% in higher education by 2035.
• It mandates instruction in the mother tongue or regional language up to Grade 5.
• It creates a single overarching regulator, the Higher Education Commission of India, excluding medical and legal education.
• It replaces rigid academic streams with multidisciplinary study options and credit transfer capabilities.

Key Frameworks Introduced Under NEP 2020

Major Centrally Sponsored Schemes

Centrally Sponsored Schemes feature financial cost-sharing between the Centre and States, typically in a 60:40 ratio for general category states and 90:10 for Northeastern and Himalayan states.

Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan

Launched in 2018, this overarching umbrella scheme subsumed three prior programs: Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan, and Teacher Education.

• It covers education seamlessly from pre-school to Class 12, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 4.
• It funds infrastructure development, digital rooms, sports equipment, and annual school grants.
• It includes the Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya program, establishing residential schools for girls from disadvantaged communities in low female literacy blocks.
• It integrates vocational education into secondary curricula through industry-aligned skill modules.

Pradhan Mantri POSHAN Shakti Nirman

Formerly known as the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, PM POSHAN provides hot cooked meals to eligible school children.

• It covers students in Classes 1 to 8 in government and government-aided schools, as well as Special Training Centres and Madrasas.
• It aims to address childhood hunger, increase daily attendance, and improve nutritional metrics.
• It mandates specific nutritional norms: 450 calories and 12g protein for primary students; 700 calories and 20g protein for upper primary students.
• It incorporates Tithi Bhojan, a community participation concept where locals provide special meals to children on special occasions.

PM Schools for Rising India

Launched in 2022, PM SHRI aims to strengthen select existing government schools into exemplar institutions.

• It targets the development of over 14,500 schools managed by Central, State, or Local bodies.
• It showcases the full implementation of NEP 2020 as modern, green, and inclusive learning environments.
• It incorporates experiential pedagogy, modern labs, digital tools, and water-energy conservation systems.
• It functions through a challenge-method selection process where schools apply directly on an online portal.

Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan

PM-USHA upgraded the erstwhile Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan launched in 2013 to transform state higher education institutions.

• It provides strategic funding to State Universities and Colleges based on critical appraisal and quality metrics.
• It focuses on equity, access, and excellence in underserved, remote, and border regions.
• It supports multi-disciplinary education and research universities across state jurisdictions.
• It assists institutions in gaining accreditation from the National Assessment and Accreditation Council.

NIPUN Bharat Mission

Launched in 2021 under Samagra Shiksha, the National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy addresses early learning gaps.

• It targets universal foundational literacy and numeracy for children in the 3 to 9 age group.
• It sets the milestone that every child achieves foundational reading, writing, and math competence by Grade 3.
• It operates under a 5-tier implementation framework: National, State, District, Block, and School levels.
• It distributes specialized teaching-learning materials and continuous diagnostic assessments.

Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States

STARS is a financial assistance project partially funded by the World Bank, operating under Samagra Shiksha.

• It focuses on improving the quality of school governance and learning outcomes in six select states: Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, and Odisha.
• It supports direct state-level interventions to strengthen early childhood education and assessment systems.
• It improves classroom instruction quality through structured teacher training modules.

Key Facts and Data Summary

• Article 21-A was inserted into the Indian Constitution via the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, making free and compulsory education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 years.
• The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act was enacted in 2009 and took effect on April 1, 2010.
• Section 12(1)(c) of the RTE Act mandates a 25% reservation in privateunaided non-minority schools for children belonging to economically weaker sections and disadvantaged groups.
• Education was moved from the State List to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976.
• The Department of School Education & Literacy and the Department of Higher Education function as the two functional divisions under the Union Ministry of Education.
• The National Curriculum Framework for School Education 2023 provides the updated guidelines for textbooks and classroom teaching aligned with NEP 2020.
• District Primary Education Programme, launched in 1994, served as the first major centrally sponsored effort toward universalizing primary education before Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.