Central government has extended Samagra Shiksha Scheme by six months beyond its earlier deadline of 31 March 2026, so that funding to states keeps going while a revamped, NEP 2020 aligned version of the scheme gets finalised. Samagra Shiksha covers 11.6 lakh schools, over 15.6 crore students and 57 lakh teachers of government and aided schools across the country.
Union Budget 2026-27 has set aside ₹42,100 crore for this scheme, about 11 percent more than the revised estimate of ₹38,000 crore for 2025-26. This article explains the latest 2026 update on Samagra Shiksha Scheme along with its benefits, objectives and past achievements.
Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2026 Update
Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2.0 was approved for a five year period, from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2026, with a total outlay of ₹2,94,283.04 crore, including a central share of ₹1,85,398.32 crore. That period ended in March 2026. Rather than letting funding stop, the government has given the scheme a six month extension, till around 30 September 2026 or till Union Cabinet clears the new version, whichever comes first.
Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has asked for the next phase of Samagra Shiksha to work as an outcome-driven, quality-focused scheme built around National Education Policy 2020 goals. States and Union Territories have been asked to prepare their annual work plans for the 2026-27 academic year on this basis. Officials expect the revised scheme to put more weight on foundational literacy and numeracy, wider early childhood education coverage, better learning outcomes, technology-based learning and stronger teacher training.
Samagra Shiksha alone makes up more than half of the school education department's total budget, which shows how big a role it plays in running government and aided schools across states. The scheme still operates on a cost-sharing basis between centre and states, with the sharing ratio varying by category of state.
What is Samagra Shiksha Scheme
Samagra Shiksha is an integrated scheme for school education, covering everything from pre-school to Class 12. Launched in 2018, it merged three older centrally sponsored schemes, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education, into one single framework. The scheme supports the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act and has also been matched with National Education Policy 2020, so that children get quality education in a classroom that takes care of their background, language needs and different learning abilities.
Key Benefits and Interventions Under the Scheme
Samagra Shiksha covers school education at every level and touches many areas at once, from infrastructure to teacher training. Some of the main benefits and interventions under the scheme are given below.
- Free textbooks and uniforms for eligible students, along with transport support for children in remote areas.
- NIPUN Bharat mission for foundational literacy and numeracy, so every child reads, writes and does basic maths by Grade 3.
- Financial support for teacher salaries, teacher training and appointment of language teachers, including bilingual books and teaching material.
- ICT labs, smart classrooms, digital boards and virtual classrooms in government and aided schools.
- Vocational education support, using existing school, ITI and polytechnic infrastructure for skill training.
- Upgrade of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBV) up to Class 12, along with self-defence training and hostel facilities for girls.
- Monthly stipend and yearly identification camps for children with special needs (CWSN), plus support for special educators.
- Sports grants, library facilities and additional infrastructure for schools, along with support for the Holistic Progress Card to track each learner's growth.
Main Objectives of Samagra Shiksha Scheme
Beyond individual benefits, the scheme is built around a set of broader goals for school education across India. Main objectives of Samagra Shiksha Scheme include the following.
- Support states and Union Territories in rolling out National Education Policy 2020.
- Help implement the RTE Act, 2009, and expand Early Childhood Care and Education.
- Push foundational literacy and numeracy through NIPUN Bharat and related programmes.
- Bridge social and gender gaps in school education and keep learning inclusive at every level.
- Strengthen State Councils for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) and District Institutes for Education and Training (DIET) as the main bodies for teacher training.
- Keep schools safe, secure and well maintained, while also promoting vocational education among students.
Samagra Shiksha Scheme Highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Scheme Name | Samagra Shiksha Scheme 2.0 |
| Launched By | Ministry of Education, Government of India |
| Started In | 2018 (revised version from 2021-22) |
| Current Status | Extended till around 30 September 2026, pending revamped version |
| Beneficiaries | Students, teachers and schools from pre-primary to Class 12 |
| Coverage | 11.6 lakh schools, 15.6 crore students, 57 lakh teachers |
| Total Outlay (2021-26) | ₹2,94,283.04 crore (central share ₹1,85,398.32 crore) |
| Budget 2026-27 | ₹42,100 crore |
| Official Website | samagra.education.gov.in |
Achievements So Far
Samagra Shiksha has been running as a centrally sponsored scheme in partnership with state and UT governments since 2018. Between 2018-19 and 2020-21, over 41,000 schools got infrastructure upgrades, more than 13 lakh schools received library facilities and sports equipment, close to 800 KGBVs were upgraded from Class 8 to Class 12, and over 11,000 separate girls' toilets got built. Every year in this period, crores of children received free textbooks and uniforms, lakhs of out of school children got special training to join formal schools, and lakhs of teachers went through training under the scheme. These numbers have kept growing each year as more states report their progress under the programme.
Background of Samagra Shiksha Scheme
Union Budget 2018-19 had announced that school education would be treated as one continuous stage, from pre-primary to Class 12, instead of separate segments. Department of School Education and Literacy launched Samagra Shiksha in 2018 by merging Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan and Teacher Education into a single scheme. It is implemented through a State Implementation Society in each state, with a Governing Council headed by the Minister of Education and a Project Approval Board headed by the Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, at the national level.
For more details, visit the official website at https://samagra.education.gov.in/
FAQ's
Is Samagra Shiksha Scheme still running in 2026?
Yes. Its earlier approved period ended on 31 March 2026, but government has extended it by about six months so that funding to states does not stop while a revamped version is finalised.
What is the budget for Samagra Shiksha Scheme in 2026-27?
Union Budget 2026-27 has allotted ₹42,100 crore for the scheme, up from the revised estimate of ₹38,000 crore in 2025-26.
When will the revamped Samagra Shiksha Scheme launch?
An exact launch date has not been announced. Discussions on the new, NEP 2020 aligned structure are still on, and the current scheme has been extended till the new version gets Union Cabinet approval.
What is the official website of Samagra Shiksha Scheme?
Official website of the scheme is samagra.education.gov.in, where states and citizens can check guidelines, reports and other scheme related information.

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