Union Budget 2021 Highlights For The Department Of School Education & Literacy

In a significant announcement for strengthening School Education as envisioned under National Education Policy 2020, Union Budget 2021-22 announced that more than 15,000 schools will be qualitatively strengthened to include all components of the National Education Policy 2020. These will emerge as exemplar schools in their regions, hand-holding and mentoring other schools to achieve the ideals of the Policy.

Under this initiative, one primary and one elementary school in each block and one secondary and one senior secondary school in each district will be developed as schools of excellence that are strengthened, empowered and capacitated to provide – a safe and stimulating learning environment where a wide range of learning experiences are offered, and where good physical infrastructure and appropriate resources conducive to learning are available to all students.

Few Kendriya Vidyalayas and Navodaya Vidyalays will also be developed as exemplars for showcasing implementation of NEP 2020 and emerging as schools of excellence. These schools shall also emerge as leaders in school education in their region and help hand-hold and mentor other schools to achieve the ideals of NEP 2020.

Beneficiaries and Benefits of Exemplar Schools

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1. These schools will focus on cognitive development, building character and creating holistic and well-rounded individuals equipped with 21st-century skills.

2. These schools will help showcase the implementation of the NEP and emerge as exemplars and schools of excellence in their respective regions.  

3. Pedagogy adopted in these schools will be more experiential, holistic, integrated, real-life situations based, inquiry-driven, discovery-oriented, learner-centered, discussion-based, flexible, and, enjoyable.

4. Focus on learning outcomes of every child in every grade – Assessment of Quantitative, Verbal & Logical Reasoning Skills.

5. Introduction of   Child tracking, Holistic progress Card etc.

6. Convergence with existing schemes and line Ministries.