Chandigarh: The Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Ministry of Education, Government of India, has approved the Annual Work Plan & Budget (AWP&B) of Rs.1,639.02 crore for Haryana under the Samagra Shiksha programme for the financial year 2026-27. The approval was accorded during the PAB meeting held on 5 June 2026 in New Delhi. The budget is approved in the ratio of 60:40 with Central share and State share.
The Ministry appreciated Haryana’s sustained progress in strengthening school education and improving educational infrastructure. As per UDISE+ 2024-25, all Government schools in the State have access to electricity and drinking water. Basic infrastructure has also achieved near-universal coverage, including toilets, handwashing facilities, and libraries or reading corners. The State has further achieved near-universal coverage of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in Government and Government-aided schools. Haryana continues to perform better than the national average in student transition rates while maintaining dropout rates below the national average across the major stages of school education, reflecting sustained efforts to improve access, retention and continuity of learning.
The approved Annual Work Plan places a strong emphasis on improving the quality of school education through innovation, technology integration and learner-centric pedagogical reforms. It seeks to strengthen foundational learning, promote scientific temper and innovation among students, enhance digital readiness in Government schools, improve teaching-learning processes, and create engaging learning environments. The approved interventions are aimed at fostering creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving abilities and 21st-century competencies among students in alignment with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
A notable feature of the approved Annual Work Plan is the inclusion of two innovative initiatives proposed by the State—SPRINT (Sports Preparedness and Resilience through Intensive Nurturing and Training) and provision of Band Sets in schools. The Project Approval Board has approved the implementation of the SPRINT programme with a financial outlay of Rs. 377.61 lakh covering all districts of the State. The initiative aims to identify and nurture sporting talent, strengthen students’ physical fitness, and promote a vibrant sports culture in Government schools.
Recognising the remarkable performance of Haryana Government schools in the Zonal Level School Band Competitions organised by the Ministry of Education over the past two years, the Project Approval Board has also approved Rs.44 lakh for the provision of Band Sets for selected Chief Minister Excellence and Early English (CMEEE) Schools, with one school in each district. The initiative is expected to promote discipline, teamwork, leadership and co-curricular excellence among students while strengthening school band activities across the State.
The Annual Work Plan also reinforces Haryana’s commitment to achieving Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) under the NIPUN Bharat Mission. The Project Approval Board has approved Rs.53.02 crore for FLN interventions during 2026-27 to strengthen foundational learning in Government schools. The approved interventions include teacher training, Teaching Learning Materials (TLM), student assessment, learning enhancement activities, and academic support to ensure that every child attains age-appropriate foundational literacy and numeracy skills by the end of Grade III.
The approved plan also lays significant emphasis on strengthening school infrastructure, improving equitable access to quality education, promoting inclusive education for Children with Special Needs (CwSN), strengthening girls’ education, expanding vocational education, enhancing teacher education and professional development, improving assessment practices, and reinforcing academic support through SCERT and 21 District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs). These interventions are expected to further strengthen institutional capacity and improve learning outcomes across Government schools in the State.
Samagra Shiksha, Haryana is preparing a comprehensive implementation plan with clearly defined timelines to ensure the effective and time-bound execution of all approved interventions. The State is committed to the timely and optimum utilisation of the approved funds and to achieving the intended educational outcomes during the financial year 2026-27
