This scheme was launched in March 2009 with the objective to enhance access to secondary education and improve its quality. The implementation of the scheme started in 2009-10.
The other objectives include improving the quality of education imparted at the secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, removing gender, socio-economic, and disability barriers, providing universal access to secondary level education by 2017, i.e., by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and achieving universal retention by 2020.
Physical facilities provided under the scheme are:
(i) Additional classrooms, (ii) Laboratories, (iii) Libraries, (iv) Art and crafts room, (v) Toilet blocks, (vi) Drinking water provisions, and (vii) Residential Hostels for Teachers in remote areas.
Quality interventions provided under the scheme are:
(i) appointment of additional teachers to reduce PTR to 30:1, (ii) focus on Science, Math, and English education, (iii) In-service training of teachers, (iv) science laboratories, (v) ICT enabled education, (vi) curriculum reforms; and (vii) teaching learning reforms.