Performance Audit of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Karnataka (2013-2018)
| Author | CAG of India | |
| Date Accessioned | 2024-06-27T16:09:20Z | |
| Date Available | 2024-06-27T16:09:20Z | |
| Date of Publication | 11-10-2019 | |
| Abstract | The Government of India (GoI) launched the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) with an objective to improve access, quality and equity by providing access to secondary and higher secondary schooling within reasonable distance through improved physical facilities and qualified teachers and also by giving special focus to girls, scheduled caste and tribal children and differently abled children in the age group of 14-18 years. A Performance Audit of the RMSA scheme during the period 2013-14 to 2017-18 was conducted to assess whether the above objectives were achieved and we observed the following: 1. Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan Samithi, Karnataka (RMSASK) could not absorb the available funds in a timely manner. The utilisation of funds during 2013-14 to 2017-18 ranged between 30 and 55 per cent. The scheme’s intervention was mainly focused on upgradation/strengthening of schools as 56 per cent of allocation was towards it leading to the neglect of other components such as computer aided education, procurement of laboratory items, furniture, etc. (Paragraph 2.1.6) 2. In order to improve access, the Perspective Plan of Karnataka envisaged that secondary and higher secondary schools to be within reasonable distance. However, as at the end of March 2018, 4,361 habitations did not have access to secondary education. In addition, the perspective plan had envisaged to realign the structure of school education with the national level pattern by 2017 but the higher secondary continued to be under the Pre-University Board. Hence, both the targets were not achieved. (Paragraph 2.1.7.1) 3. The target set in the Perspective Plan for enhancing quality in secondary education through infrastructural facilities like sufficient classroom, laboratories, library, separate toilet for girls and boys etc., were yet to be achieved. Due to delay in executing civil works, out of 2,396 schools taken up for upgradation/ strengthening during 2009-10 to 2017-18, only 1,740 schools were completed with 140 works in progress and balance 516 yet to be taken up. As of March 2018, RMSASK had not taken up any major/minor repairs though 1,367 and 1,494 schools respectively were in need of repairs. While the classroom student ratio of the Government schools was well within the prescribed ratio of 1:40, school-wise analysis showed that out of 4,677 Government schools run by Education Department, 2,721 schools had ratio ranging between 1:41 and 1:69. [Paragraph 2.1.8.1 (a) (c) (e)] 4. The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) of the State was well within the prescribed ratio of 30:1. However, in 874 schools, the PTR ratio was more than 30:1 as there was no monitoring in deployment of teachers at school level. Though RMSA specified that subject-wise teachers were required to be deputed in every school, it did not ensure proper balance of teachers as 642, 491 and 500 schools out of 15,666 schools did not have teachers for core subjects viz., mathematics, science and social science respectively. [Paragraph 2.1.8.3 (b) (c)] 5. In 342 schools of eight test-checked districts, we noticed the following: lack of sufficient classrooms in 22 schools; 65 schools did not have both science as well as computer laboratories; though 199 schools claimed to have library facilities, 99 schools did not have separate library facilities; though all the schools except one had toilet facilities, toilets lacked maintenance in many (52 out of 163) schools; and in 73 out of 252 aided and unaided schools, even though the infrastructure and teaching facilities were not in accordance with the norms prescribed by the State, recognitions of the schools were renewed. [Paragraph 2.1.8.1 (e) & 2.1.8.2] 6. Due to delay in construction of model schools as well as recruitment of teachers in these model schools, the schools were yet to reach the standard of Kendriya Vidyalaya. Though RMSA envisaged Vocational Education for enhancing employment opportunities, the State is yet to integrate the Vocational Education into the secondary education system as the students were neither assessed nor issued with proficiency certificate. [Paragraph 2.1.10 (1) & (2)] 7. The State was able to improve the participation of children in secondary education from 75 per cent in 2009-10 to 82 per cent in 2017-18, however, it was yet to achieve the target of 100 per cent GER by 2017. The GER of girls, SC and ST children was at 83, 79 and 73 per cent respectively against GER of the State at 82 per cent. Though the State had not achieved target of 100 per cent as envisaged in the Perspective Plan of Karnataka, it had ensured almost equitable participation from the special focus group in secondary education. However, it had not monitored the participation of differently abled children in secondary education. (Paragraph 2.1.9.2 & 2.1.11.2) 8. Due to ineffective bottom-up planning, the annual and perspective plans were not need based and realistic. This coupled with deficient monitoring at all levels led to non-achievement of objectives of the RMSA basically in improving access and quality of secondary education. Thus, the impact of RMSA on secondary education was not visible in terms of financial and outcome indicators when compared to State’s intervention. (Paragraph 2.1.12) | |
| Identifier URI | https://resourcerepository.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/handle/apurr/476 | |
| Language | English | |
| Publisher | CAG of India | |
| Series | Karnataka (General and Social); 4 of 2019 | |
| Title | Performance Audit of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Karnataka (2013-2018) | |
| Subtitle | For the Period 2013-2018 | |
| Item Type | Audit Report |