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Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: How Radical Policy Shifts Have Shaped India’s Education System

Friday, 14 September 2018 ADD TO CALENDAR

3:30 PM To 3:30 PM

The newly launched Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan (SMSA) is an education programme which will overhaul India’s schooling system. Subsuming 3 big budget programmes -the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education, its intent is to significantly improve quality of learning from pre-school to class XII. The creation of the umbrella programme is unique on another count. Through it, the centre makes an attempt to enhance the budgetary flexibility of state governments in a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The move is in keeping with the 14th Finance Commission’s recommendations of allowing states to set priorities and design education interventions based on their needs.

The second Policy-In-Depth seminar for 2018 explores the first few months of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan as its implementation gathers full swing. The session will delve into the evolution of reformative education policies in India including their stated, as well as, unintended consequences. The financial implication of the convergence of 3 schemes and resultant challenges will also be deliberated.

The session will feature Dr Manisha Priyam, Associate Professor, National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. An academic and researcher, she has closely examined the politics of India’s education policy reforms in a comparative perspective. She also has over two decades experience of working with donors, policy makers, administrators and stakeholders in policy formulation, implementation, and evaluations. She has previously worked for the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, the World Bank, and the UNDP on projects of tertiary education reform, primary education reform, and urban social policies.

The session will be moderated by Avani Kapur, Director, Accountability Initiative.

About Policy In-Depth: The Policy In-Depth Series hosted by Accountability Initiative at the Centre for Policy Research deliberates on the implementation of key welfare programmes in India, the policy decisions that direct their course and the impact this has on citizens.