Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday said the Centre and the States are equal partners in strengthening India’s school education system, stressing that their collective efforts will be critical to achieving the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Conclave of State and Union Territory Education Ministers in New Delhi, Pradhan said the success of India’s education reforms would ultimately be measured by improved learning outcomes and the opportunities created for every child.
The conclave, organised by the Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) under the Ministry of Education, is reviewing the implementation of centrally sponsored schemes and exploring ways to strengthen Centre-State collaboration in line with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
Pradhan said the meeting provides an important platform for the Centre, States and Union Territories to exchange best practices, enhance cooperation and accelerate the effective implementation of education programmes. He added that the discussions would also contribute to the upcoming PRAGATI review to be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Highlighting recent progress in the school education sector, the minister referred to flagship initiatives including Samagra Shiksha, Pradhan Mantri Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI), National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy Mission (NIPUN Bharat), Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) and Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society Scheme (ULLAS), saying these programmes are playing a key role in improving access to quality education across the country.
He called upon States and Union Territories to intensify efforts to strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy, empower teachers, integrate technology and artificial intelligence into classrooms, encourage innovation and ensure the holistic development of students.
Pradhan also urged States to promote children’s mother tongues and multilingual education, saying that learning in the home language during the early years strengthens foundational learning and leads to better educational outcomes.
Minister of State for Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Jayant Chaudhary, who also addressed the conclave, emphasised the importance of close coordination between the Centre and States to improve educational outcomes and build a stronger school education system.
The two-day meeting is aimed at advancing the shared objective of creating an equitable, inclusive and high-quality school education system that supports India’s long-term development goals. Education Ministers from States and Union Territories reaffirmed their commitment to greater collaboration, knowledge sharing and coordinated implementation of centrally sponsored education schemes.
The opening day of the conclave included presentations by senior officials of the Department of School Education and Literacy. Additional Secretary Dheeraj Sahu reviewed the implementation of Samagra Shiksha and outlined key issues for consideration under the PRAGATI framework, while Deputy Director General Pankaj K. P. Shreyaskar presented the status of educational indicators across States and Union Territories.
Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Education and State governments also participated in the deliberations, which are expected to focus on strengthening programme implementation and improving learning outcomes as part of the country’s roadmap towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
