Centre extends Samagra Shiksha by six months ahead of revamp rollout

Centre has extended the Samagra Shiksha scheme by six months beyond its March 2026 expiry to ensure continuity of funding to states while a revamped NEP 2020-aligned version is finalised

The Centre has extended the Samagra Shiksha scheme by six months beyond its March 31, 2026 expiry as it finalises the next phase of the flagship school education programme, according to people aware of the matter.

 

The extension is intended to ensure continuity of funding to states and Union Territories for school education programmes until a revamped version of the scheme is approved by the Union Cabinet, the people said.

 

Samagra Shiksha is one of the Centre’s largest education schemes and accounts for a significant share of federal support to states for school education. The scheme operates on a cost-sharing basis, with expenditure shared between the Centre and states in varying ratios depending on the category of state.

 

 

The scheme received an allocation of Rs 421 billion for the financial year 2026–27 (FY27) as compared to a revised estimate of Rs 380 billion in FY26, according to Budget documents.

 

The government was expected to roll out a restructured Samagra Shiksha from 2026–27, aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. However, discussions on the contours of the revised scheme are still underway, necessitating an interim extension of the existing programme.

 

The extension comes at a time when states are preparing annual work plans and budgets for the current academic cycle and depend on central assistance for a range of interventions, including teacher salaries, school infrastructure, learning resources, digital education initiatives and programmes aimed at improving access and retention.

 

Officials said the next phase of the scheme is likely to place greater emphasis on priorities outlined under NEP 2020, including strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, expanding access to early childhood care and education, improving learning outcomes, promoting technology-enabled learning and enhancing teacher capacity building.

 

Launched in 2018, Samagra Shiksha is the Union government’s umbrella scheme for school education covering the entire spectrum from pre-primary to Class 12. It subsumed three earlier centrally sponsored schemes — Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education — into a single framework.

 

The programme has also become a key vehicle for implementing school education reforms envisaged under NEP 2020, including the introduction of the new curricular and pedagogical structure and efforts to improve school quality and equity.

 

The six-month extension is expected to provide administrative and financial continuity while the government finalises the design and approval of the revamped scheme.