Gist of Kurukshetra- Rural Education : Government Initiatives for Rural Areas-

1. Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya

• It is a rural specific scheme meant for talented children from rural areas.
• MHRD is running this across the country (except Tamil Nadu) and provides free and quality education to talented rural children.

     2. Samagra Shiksha

• This is an ambitious programme to promote holistic education. Under the Scheme, provision has been made for giving preference to Special Focus Districts, Educationally Backward Blocks, LWE affected districts.
• This scheme supports states for strengthening of school infrastructure including in rural areas.

     3. Revamped Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya (KGBV) Scheme

• It provides the facility of atleast one residential school for girls from Classes VI-XII in every educationally backward block which does not have residential schools under any other Scheme.

     4. Mid-Day Meal Scheme

• One of the objectives of the scheme is to attract children from disadvantaged sections like poor, dalits, tribals, girls and children of labour workforce including farm labour.A
• As per NSS 71th round, 70 per cent students get mid-day meals in rural areas.

    5. NISHTHA

• National initiative for School Heads and Teachers Holistic Advancement has been launched to build capacities of 42 lakh elementary school level teachers, principals, block resource centre coordinators and cluster resource centre coordinators.
• The basic objective is to motivate and equip teachers to encourage and foster critical thinking in students.

     6. Vision of Draft New Education Policy

• The draft NEP envisions creating special merit scholarships which will also include guaranteed employment in their local areas upon successful completion of their four year integrated B.ED. Programmes.
• To encourage outstanding teachers to be deployed to rural areas, incentives like housing will be provided for teachers to take up teaching jobs in rural areas.