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Item Performance Audit of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Karnataka (2013-2018)(CAG of India, 11-10-2019) CAG of IndiaThe 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)Item Performance Audit of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Nagaland (2013-2018)(CAG of India, 15-02-2020) CAG of IndiaRashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA), a flagship scheme of the Government of India (GoI), was launched in March 2009 with the objective of universalisation and improvement of the quality of education at the secondary level. The primary goals of the scheme are accessibility, quality and equity in secondary education. In Nagaland, the scheme was implemented from the year 2010. A Performance Audit on implementation of the scheme in Nagaland covering the period 2013-18 was carried out. Some of the major audit findings are highlighted below: 1. Out of 2058 habitations, only 941 habitations (45.72 per cent) had access to Secondary School education within five Kilometres. (Paragraph 1.3.10) 2. Out of 391 Special Education Teachers appointed on contract basis, only 360 were identified as genuine. Similarly, out of 3695 students under “Children with Special Needs”, only 650 students were eligible for benefits under Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage. (Paragraph 1.3.14.1) 3. Out of 11 girls’ hostel sanctioned by the Government of India for construction during the year 2012-13, none of the girls’ hostels were made operational. (Paragraph 1.3.14.3) 4. Out of 168 schools approved for upgradation and construction of new buildings, upgradation of only 113 schools was completed. (Paragraph 1.3.14.4) 5. Twelve Secondary School buildings constructed under the scheme in three selected districts either remained unutilised/unoccupied or were being utilised for private and other than intended purposes. (Paragraph 1.3.14.6)Item Performance Audit on Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Mizoram (2013-2018)(CAG of India, 21-11-2019) CAG of IndiaPlanning process for identification of uncovered habitations for secondary schools and their coverage has not been done systematically. The number of eligible habitations that remained out of coverage of secondary education was 392 (46 per cent) as of end of 2017-18. Non-preparation of perspective and annual plans with local input from the schools has resulted in a situation where infrastructure was provided without immediate requirement and therefore, not utilised. State norms were not complied with while designing and constructing class rooms, computer labs, libraries, etc. Drinking water facilities were not provided in several new schools. Despite the emphasis on provision of ICT facilities by GoI, these were not developed/ provided. Same was the case with children with disabilities/ special needs, where the services of Special Educators were utilised elsewhere. While laboratory infrastructure was yet to be set up, Laboratory Assistants were prematurely posted to 58 schools. Efforts need to be made to bring about equity in secondary education, as most of the uncovered habitations continue to be in the rural and remote areas.Item Performance Audit of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan in Rajasthan (2013-2018)(CAG of India, 06-03-2020) CAG of IndiaGovernment of India (GoI) launched Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) in March 2009 to make good quality education available, accessible and affordable to all young persons in the age group of 14-18 years and integrated (July 2013) implementation of Information & Communication Technology, construction of Girls Hostels, Inclusive Education for Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS) and Vocational Education with RMSA from the year 2013-14. A Performance Audit of Implementation of RMSA conducted in 225 test checked schools of nine districts revealed following significant audit findings: 1. High-level task force and Core Groups were not constituted at state and district level respectively. Perspective plan was not prepared at district level and in 96 per cent of test checked schools, annual plans were not prepared. Out of 1,51,042, 34,065 habitations (22.55 per cent) did not have access to Secondary schools within the prescribed limit of five kms and 33.56 per cent of children remained out of the purview of secondary school. As a result, the vision of RMSA to ensure universal access of secondary education by 2017 was not fully achieved. 2. The Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) was more than the prescribed limit in 44 per cent of the test checked schools. This pointed to the asymmetrical distribution of teachers amongst schools, which was not reflected in the overall state level PTR. The prescribed minimum of five subject teachers were not posted in 62 per cent of the test checked schools. Out of 14,103 schools, State Government could not provide science laboratories in 10,216 schools, art/craft/culture rooms in 10,093 schools, computer rooms in 9,971 schools, library in 9,737 schools and playground in 5,340 schools even after lapse of nine years of implementation of RMSA. Further, no rooms for secondary classes were found available in eight out of 225 test checked schools and in 47 per cent of test checked schools, the classrooms were overcrowded with a student strength ranging from 51 to 167. 3. The Gross Enrollment Ratio in Classes IX and X in the State increased from 71.12 per cent (2013-14) to 78.87 per cent (2017-18), even though it could not attain the goal of universal access of Secondary Education by 2017. The dropout rate in Class IX in test checked schools was much higher than state average of 2.16 per cent. There was shortfall of 92.04 per cent and 80.58 per cent in imparting of in-service training for teachers and induction training to newly recruited teachers respectively during 2013-18. 4. In 155 test checked schools, ICT scheme was being conducted without dedicated teachers and any prescribed syllabus. 5. The significant migration of students from government schools to other management schools in Class IX points to need for the government schools to improve quality of education imparted.