India Explained
ImplementedBJPAtal Bihari Vajpayee, coalition government

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan 2001

The Centrally sponsored Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, begun around January 2001, aimed to bring all children aged 6 to 14 into elementary education by 2010 and later became the vehicle for the Right to Education Act.

School Education

Facts

  • Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) began in January 2001 with the aim of getting all children aged 6 to 14 into education by 2010; sources also date its operation to 2000-01 and trace its roots to the District Primary Education Programme of 1993-94 [4].
  • One account puts the number of out-of-school children aged 6 to 14 at the start of SSA in 2001 at 3.40 crore [4].
  • The 86th Amendment inserted Article 21A, in force from 13 December 2002, making free and compulsory education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14; the Right to Education Act took effect on 1 April 2010 [1].
  • SSA, a Centrally Sponsored Scheme, was designated as the vehicle for implementing the RTE Act; its framework was revised in March 2011 [1].
  • A 2016 parliamentary committee report found enrolment near universal but learning outcomes unsatisfactory [2].
  • Ministry data report that the annual average dropout rate at primary level fell from 9.11% in 2009-10 to 4.13% in 2015-16 [1][2].
  • A state audit reported 8.97 lakh out-of-school children in West Bengal as of April 2005, and in Maharashtra more than one lakh remained out of school [3].

Why

Reasons given by those who did it

  • The programme's stated aim was universal elementary education for children aged 6 to 14 by 2010 [4].
  • It was designed as a programme under which state and district plans could be framed within a national framework [1].

Criticism of that reasoning

  • A 2010 academic paper said the programme brought children to school but failed to retain them [4].

Benefits and concerns

Benefits (2)

  • Elementary enrolment is reported as near universal over the programme period.2016 parliamentary committee finding that enrolment is near universal [2].
  • Served as the vehicle for the RTE Act; primary dropout fell over the same period.Designated vehicle for RTE; dropout down from 9.11% to 4.13% (2009-10 to 2015-16) [1][2].

Concerns (2)

  • Learning outcomes remained unsatisfactory despite higher enrolment.2016 parliamentary committee report [2].
  • Universal enrolment targets were not met by the original dates, and audits found out-of-school children in several states.Target of 2010; West Bengal and Maharashtra figures from 2005 audits [3][4].

Evidence points

+12.5
points, mean of two scorers (scale −25 to +25)
+12 to +13
range between the two scorers' totals
Low confidence
scorers agree within 1 point on every criterion
ReachHow many people did the action materially affect?
Mean +5.0A +5B +5
Outcome evidenceDo official or independent data show the intended result (or its opposite), compared with the era baseline and peers?
Mean +2.0A +2B +2
Cost and sustainabilityIs the fiscal cost proportionate, and is the effect durable?
Mean +2.0A +2B +2
Process and rightsWas it made with debate, consultation and legal soundness, and did it respect rights and court rulings?
Mean +1.0A +1B +1
DeliveryWas it implemented as announced, on time and at scale?
Mean +2.5A +2B +3

Positive meanNegative meanScorer AScorer B

Scorer A. Near-universal enrolment and falling primary dropout, but learning outcomes were unsatisfactory and the 2010 target was missed.

Scorer B. Near-universal enrolment and falling dropout, but learning outcomes unsatisfactory and targets missed.

Context used when scoring

Era baseline
In 2001 millions of children aged 6 to 14 were out of school, and the District Primary Education Programme (1993-94) had been the main earlier elementary programme.
Lag before outcomes show
10 years
Uncertainty
Low confidence. Scorer totals are +12 and +13. How uncertainty is shown.

In depth

Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan was launched at the start of 2001 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme to bring all children aged 6 to 14 into elementary education, building on the District Primary Education Programme begun in 1993-94. After the 86th Amendment made elementary education a Fundamental Right, and the RTE Act took effect in April 2010, SSA became the main programmatic vehicle for implementing the Act. Its framework was revised in March 2011.

The sources opened for this entry describe enrolment and dropout trends and some state audit findings. A 2016 parliamentary committee report concluded that enrolment was near universal but that learning outcomes were unsatisfactory. State audits from 2005 recorded children still out of school in West Bengal and Maharashtra.

Evidence on funding totals, learning achievement over the whole period and the exact launch date was not collected, so the date field is a placeholder for January 2001 and confidence is low. SSA was later merged into the Samagra Shiksha scheme, which this entry does not assess.

Sources

  1. Implementation of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan
    Press Information BureauOfficial data
  3. CAG audit report on civil departments, chapter 3 (West Bengal, 2006)
    Comptroller and Auditor General of IndiaPrimary

Last reviewed .Report an error orchallenge a score.

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