Assessment of the implementation of samagra shiksha abhiyan and pm poshan scheme in government primary schools of Chandauli District, Uttar Pradesh

Introduction

One of the most significant factors influencing socioeconomic development, human resource development, and societal transformation is education. In addition to raising literacy rates, it can support economic growth, gender equality, poverty alleviation, and good health. For instance, educational reform initiatives in developing nations like India have moved their emphasis from expanding educational access to improving educational quality (Ranta et al., 2025; Shukla & Sharma, 2024) [1,2] Over the past 20 years, the Indian government has implemented a number of important educational reforms to address these issues. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), one such initiative launched by the Indian government in 2001, is regarded as one of the most significant turning points in the pursuit of Universalization of Elementary Education (UEE). The SSA program was created to address enduring issues such as low enrollment, high dropout rates, gender disparity, inadequate school infrastructure, teacher shortages, and undereducation among underprivileged populations. In order to ensure universal enrollment, retention, primary school completion, and improvement in educational quality while lowering social and gender inequities, the program used a decentralized, community-based strategy (Mondal & Nandy, 2020; Menezes, 2015) [3,4,7] The 86th Constitution (Amendment) Act of 2002 and the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act of 2009, which established education as a fundamental right for children between the ages of 6 and 14, were implemented primarily through the SSA, which was also a sign of India's commitment to the EFA program of action at the international level (Roy, 2022; Menezes, 2015) [3,5] . The program's inclusivity was improved by giving special. attention to girls, SC/ST students, minority populations, and kids with impairments (Mondal & Nandy, 2020) [4,7] . Empirical evidence demonstrates that SSA significantly increased school enrollment, decreased the number of children not in school, and even improved educational infrastructure in a number of states (Roy, 2022) [5] . Acknowledging the intimate connection between education and nutrition, the Indian government improved schooling through the Mid-Day Meal Scheme, which was renamed Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM POSHAN) in 2021. The program was introduced in 1995 with the goal of improving children's enrollment, attendance, retention, involvement in class, and nutritional status in government and government-aided schools (Government of India, 2021). PM POSHAN promotes social fairness and inclusion while improving academic achievement, regular attendance, and cognitive development, particularly among underprivileged people, by decreasing hunger. However, there are still issues with infrastructure, funding, food quality, hygiene, and execution (Mondal & Nandy, 2020; Roy, 2022) [4,5,7] . The Indian government launched the Samagra Shiksha program in 2018-19 by combining SSA, RMSA, and TE into a single comprehensive program for school education, capitalizing on the achievements of Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) and PM POSHAN (Ali, 2020; Shukla & Sharma, 2024; Ranta et al., 2025) [1,2,6] . In line with the Right to Education Act (2009), NEP 2020, and SDG-4, the program assists in guaranteeing equal access, inclusive education, quality learning, retention, and improved educational outcomes (Government of India, 2020; Shukla & Sharma, 2024; Ranta et al., 2025) [1,2] . With initiatives like DIKSHA and NIPUN Bharat, it enhances inclusive education, digital learning, and teacher education. However, some of its obstacles include a lack of digital infrastructure, a teacher shortage, issues with governance, unequal funding utilization, and regional disparities (Government of India, 2020; Shukla & Sharma, 2024; Mondal, 2026; Ranta et al., 2025) [1,2,4,7] . Together, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, the Prime Minister's POSHAN, and the Samagra Shiksha are the consecutive phases of school education reform in India. Whereas Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan initiated universal education in India, the Prime Minister's POSHAN dealt with the issue of malnutrition and the Samagra Shiksha consolidated the initiatives through an integrated approach to quality, equality, technology, and holistic development. In that context, this research is an attempt to study assessment of the implementation of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and PM POSHAN scheme in government primary schools in Chandauli district.

2.Objective

1. To assess the socio-demographic profile (gender, caste, and father occupation) of the respondents. 2. To assess the implementation of the PM POSHAN Scheme and school infrastructure under Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan in selected government primary schools.

3.Materials and Methods

Research design and sample

This study was based on a descriptive research design, which uses quantitative methods to present data on elementary school students. A total of 50 students enrolled in government primary schools of Chahniya Block, Chandauli district, were selected for the study.

Sampling technique

Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select the sample. To ensure that every student had an equal chance of being included in the sample, students were first randomly selected from school and class lists. Both techniques were used to create a final representative sample of fifty students to meet the study's objectives.

Tool and data collection

Data was gathered using a self-structured questionnaire that the researcher created. Closed-ended questions were included. The validity of the questionnaire was verified by subject matter experts. The principals of each school granted permission to gather the data. All 50 completed questionnaires were gathered after they were meticulously administered in stages.

Statistical techniques

The data collected from the respondents were systematically coded, classified, and tabulated to facilitate analysis. Descriptive statistical techniques namely frequency and percentage were used. The analysed data were presented in tabular form to provide a clear and comprehensive understanding of the results.

Result and discussion

Assessment the socio-demographic profile (gender, caste, and father occupation) of the respondents. Fig. 1 shows that 33 (66%) were girls, whereas 17 (34%) were boys. Thus, female respondents constituted a larger proportion of the study sample compared to male respondents. Girls participated more than boys in this study. This may be due to positive changes in parental attitudes toward girls' education in the study area, as well as changes in government educational policies and social awareness.

Similarly, a study by Mansoori and Jacoby (2014), found that girls' school enrolment in rural areas of Pakistan has increased over time and the gender gap is gradually narrowing. The researchers explained that the higher percentage of girls was due to better family economic conditions and greater awareness about schooling.

According to Grant and Behrman (2010) [9] , which studied educational gaps between girls and boys in developing countries, the researchers found that in many developing countries, girls' educational progress has improved over time, and girls under the age of 16 are at or above the level of boys in school. This distribution indicates that the study area has a higher social structure among backward classes. This could be because some castes still lack resources and awareness, or because higher-income families send their children to private schools, leading to this gap. Caste in India has been an important factor influencing social and economic opportunities, especially in terms of education, employment, and access to resources. While the situation has improved significantly in the past few years, disparities are still visible in some areas. The findings of the current study are consistent with those of Desai and Kulkarni (2008) [10] , who studied educational disparities between different social groups in India. They reported that while educational attainment for social groups such as Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) has improved over time, these groups still face social and economic challenges. [11] , in their study livelihood diversification in rural India, which highlighted that rural households in India continue to depend significantly on agriculture and allied activities, while also adopting different livelihood strategies to cope with economic uncertainties. The authors emphasized that diversification of livelihoods has become an important strategy among rural communities due to challenges such as seasonal employment, low agricultural income, and changing economic conditions. [13] , studied the achievements and challenges of the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in primary schools. The study found that providing regular meals in schools improved children's attendance and school engagement, but some challenges remained in meal quality, monitoring, and implementation. Afridi (2011) [12] , also reported that impact of the school feeding program in rural India. The study found that providing daily cooked meals improved school attendance and participation, especially among female students in primary grades. ASER (2022) [14] studied the state of schools in rural India. The report noted improvements in the availability of electricity, toilets, drinking water, libraries, and other facilities in schools, but also highlighted the challenge of not having the same level of facilities in all schools. According to this study, it was found that school infrastructure, classrooms availability, teaching materials, sanitation, and nutritious meals are the main elements that affect school enrolment.

Children in rural areas continue to encounter difficulties despite the government's efforts since programs are not well implemented, which has an impact on their education and school enrolment.

Conclusion

The study comes to the conclusion that the implementation of Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan and PM POSHAN has improved school infrastructure and encouraged student involvement in Chandauli district government elementary schools. There are still issues with meal quality, cleanliness, and recreational facilities even though most schools have regular meal service and basic educational facilities. Enhancing infrastructure and fortifying monitoring systems will increase these flagship programs' efficacies.

Recommendation

• First and foremost, efforts should be made to promote positive attitudes among families towards the education of their children. • Awareness programmes regarding the benefits of education and government school facilities should be strengthened among families. • Adequate sanitation facilities and safe drinking water should be ensured in every government primary school. • In order to provide wholesome and high-quality meals the PM Poshan Yojana should be implemented effectively and monitored on a regular basis.

References

1. Ranta RS, Sharma D, Chauhan K, Sharma T, Sharma A. Evaluates the role of agencies in enhancing education in Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan: an SEM analysis. 2025.