The Centre has extended the Samagra Shiksha scheme by six months beyond its March 31, 2026 expiry as it finalises the next phase of the flagship school education programme, according to reports from Business Standard. The extension is intended to ensure continuity of funding to states and Union Territories for school education programmes until a revamped version of the scheme is approved by the Union Cabinet. However, the extension comes amid political tensions over the implementation of NEP 2020, with Union education minister Pradhan stating that funds under the Samagra Shiksha scheme would not be released to Tamil Nadu unless the state fully implemented NEP 2020.
The scheme received an allocation of ₹421 billion for the financial year 2026–27 (FY27) as compared to a revised estimate of ₹380 billion in FY26, as reported by Business Standard. Samagra Shiksha is one of the Centre's largest education schemes and accounts for a significant share of federal support to states for school education, operating on a cost-sharing basis with expenditure shared between the Centre and states in varying ratios depending on the category of state.
The government was expected to roll out a restructured Samagra Shiksha from 2026–27, aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, according to Business Standard. However, discussions on the contours of the revised scheme are still underway, necessitating an interim extension of the existing programme. The next phase of the scheme is likely to place greater emphasis on priorities outlined under NEP 2020, including strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy, expanding access to early childhood care and education, improving learning outcomes, promoting technology-enabled learning and enhancing teacher capacity building. The implementation has faced resistance, with the NSUI criticizing the BJP's National Education Policy as a tool for "authoritarianism" and standing with Tamil Nadu against what they term as "imposition" of the new education policy.
The extension comes at a time when states are preparing annual work plans and budgets for the current academic cycle and depend on central assistance for a range of interventions, including teacher salaries, school infrastructure, learning resources, digital education initiatives and programmes aimed at improving access and retention, as reported by Business Standard. The programme has also become a key vehicle for implementing school education reforms envisaged under NEP 2020, including the introduction of the new curricular and pedagogical structure and efforts to improve school quality and equity. The political tensions have intensified with the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government being accused of "politicising" the new education policy, adding complexity to the scheme's implementation across different states.
