Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan: A Scheme for Universal and Quality Secondary Education

Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) is a flagship scheme of the Government of India that aims to provide universal and quality secondary education to all children aged 14 to 18 years. It was launched in 2009 as a response to the 86th amendment to the Constitution of India, which made free and compulsory education a fundamental right for every child up to the age of 14.

RMSA is one of the largest secondary education programmes in the world, covering 120 million children in over 2.5 lakh schools across the country2 The scheme has been renamed as PM POSHAN (Poshan Shakti Nirman) Scheme in 2021.

In this blog, we will discuss the introduction, objectives, functions, challenges, present situation, limitations, and conclusion of RMSA.

Introduction

Secondary education is a crucial stage in the educational hierarchy, as it prepares the students for higher education and the world of work. It also empowers the students to acquire higher levels of knowledge and skills than what they are essentially imparted with throughout the eight years of elementary education.

However, secondary education in India faces many challenges and issues, such as low access, low retention, low quality, low equity, and low relevance. According to the National Sample Survey 2017-18, only 77.7% of the eligible children were enrolled in secondary education, and only 51.4% of them completed it. Moreover, there is a huge gap between the demand and supply of secondary schools, teachers, and infrastructure. There is also a lack of diversity, innovation, and flexibility in the curriculum and pedagogy. There is also a need to address the gender, social, and regional disparities in secondary education.

To address these challenges and issues, the Government of India initiated RMSA, which aims to enhance access, retention, quality, and equity in secondary education. RMSA is a comprehensive and integrated scheme that covers all aspects of secondary education, such as infrastructure, teachers, curriculum, pedagogy, assessment, inclusion, and governance. RMSA is implemented by the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the state and union territory governments, and other stakeholders such as the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), and the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).

Objectives of RMSA

The main objectives of RMSA are as follows:

• To provide free and compulsory education to all children in the age group of 14 to 18 years.
• To ensure that every child has access to quality secondary education within a reasonable distance of their residence.
• To reduce gender and social disparities in secondary education and ensure equal opportunities for all.
• To improve the quality of secondary education by making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, enhancing the skills and training of teachers, improving the curriculum and pedagogy, and promoting the use of information and communication technology (ICT).
• To increase the enrolment rate from 77.7% in 2017-18 to 100% by 2030, and the retention rate from 51.4% in 2017-18 to 100% by 2030.
• To provide a holistic education that promotes the all-round development of students and prepares them for higher education and the world of work.

Functions of RMSA

The main functions of RMSA include:

• Providing financial assistance to the state and union territory governments for opening new secondary schools, upgrading existing schools, strengthening existing school infrastructure, providing free textbooks and uniforms, appointing additional teachers, enhancing teacher training, improving curriculum and pedagogy, promoting inclusive education, and involving community participation.
• Coordinating and converging with different ministries, departments, schemes, and programmes for the effective implementation and monitoring of the scheme.
• Establishing and strengthening the institutional mechanisms for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of the scheme at the national, state, district, and school levels.
• Developing and disseminating the guidelines, manuals, modules, and best practices for the various components and interventions of the scheme.
• Conducting and supporting the research, evaluation, and innovation activities related to the scheme.

Challenges of RMSA

• Despite the achievements and progress of RMSA, there are still some challenges and issues that need to be addressed. Some of these challenges are:
• The quality of secondary education is still low in many schools, especially in rural and remote areas. There is a lack of adequate infrastructure, facilities, resources, and trained teachers. The curriculum and pedagogy are not aligned with the needs and interests of the learners. The learning outcomes and assessment are not satisfactory.
• The enrolment and retention of students, especially girls, SCs, STs, and minorities, are still low in some regions and states. There are still many out-of-school children who face barriers such as poverty, social norms, discrimination, migration, and disability. There is a need to provide more incentives and support to these students and their families.
• The participation and involvement of parents, local communities, and stakeholders are still weak in some areas. There is a lack of awareness, ownership, and accountability among them. There is a need to strengthen the capacity and role of the School Management Committees (SMCs), Village Education Committees (VECs), and other local bodies.
• The coordination and convergence of different ministries, departments, schemes, and programmes are still inadequate. There is a need to harmonize and integrate the policies, plans, and budgets of various sectors and levels of governance. There is also a need to ensure the timely and efficient flow of funds and resources to the implementing agencies.

Present Situation of RMSA

According to the latest data from the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) 2019-20, the following are some of the key indicators of the present situation of RMSA:

The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) at the secondary level is 80.3%, and at the higher secondary level is 56.5%.

The Net Enrolment Ratio (NER) at the secondary level is 69.7%, and at the higher secondary level is 48.6%.

The Dropout Rate at the secondary level is 17.3%, and at the higher secondary level is 2.6%.

The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) at the secondary level is 27.3, and at the higher secondary level is 19.4.

The percentage of schools with electricity is 85.8%, with drinking water facilities is 95.9%, with separate toilets for girls is 97.1%, and with ramps for disabled children is 74.8%.

Limitations of RMSA

• While RMSA has made significant contributions to the universalization and quality of secondary education, it also has some limitations and drawbacks. Some of these limitations are:
• RMSA is a centrally sponsored scheme, which means that the central government provides most of the funds and guidelines, while the state governments implement and monitor the programme. This may create some issues of autonomy, flexibility, and accountability at the state and local levels. There may also be some gaps and delays in the fund flow and utilization.
• RMSA is a time-bound programme, which means that it has a fixed duration and targets. This may create some pressure and challenges for the implementing agencies to achieve the desired outcomes within the stipulated time. It may also affect the sustainability and continuity of the programme after its completion.
• RMSA is a programme-based approach, which means that it focuses on specific interventions and activities to achieve the objectives. This may create some problems of integration, coherence, and comprehensiveness of the education system. It may also neglect some aspects of education that are not covered by the programme, such as pre-school education, vocational education, and adult education.

Conclusion

RMSA is a visionary and ambitious programme that aims to transform the secondary education scenario in India. It has achieved remarkable results and impacts in terms of access, retention, quality, and equity in education. It has also faced some challenges and issues that need to be addressed and resolved. It has some limitations and drawbacks that need to be overcome and improved. RMSA is a dynamic and evolving programme that needs to adapt and respond to the changing needs and demands of society and the learners. It is a collective and collaborative effort that requires the support and participation of all the stakeholders and partners. RMSA is a programme that has the potential to make a difference in the lives of millions of students and the future of the nation.