By The Centre has approved an annual school education plan worth ₹1,639.02 crore for Haryana under the Samagra Shiksha programme for the financial year 2026-27, providing a significant push to the state’s efforts to strengthen public education. The approval was granted by the Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Union Ministry of Education during its meeting in New Delhi.
The sanctioned amount will be shared between the Centre and the Haryana government in a 60:40 funding ratio. Officials said the allocation will support infrastructure upgrades, learning reforms, technology integration and student-focused initiatives in line with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
According to a Haryana government spokesperson, the Ministry appreciated the state’s consistent progress in improving school education. Data from UDISE+ 2024-25 shows that every government school in Haryana now has access to electricity and drinking water, while essential facilities such as toilets, handwashing stations and libraries have reached almost universal coverage.
The state has also achieved near-complete implementation of Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in government and government-aided schools. Officials highlighted that Haryana continues to perform better than the national average in student transition rates, while its school dropout rate remains significantly lower than the country’s overall average.
A major focus of the approved plan is improving the quality of education through innovation and technology-driven learning. The annual work plan includes several reforms designed to make classrooms more student-centric while promoting holistic development beyond academics.
Among the standout initiatives is SPRINT (Sports Preparedness and Resilience Through Intensive Nurturing and Training), a first-of-its-kind programme aimed at identifying sporting talent in government schools and strengthening students’ physical fitness. The Centre has approved ₹3.77 crore (₹377.61 lakh) for implementing the programme across all districts in Haryana.
The initiative is expected to create a stronger sporting culture in schools by encouraging early talent identification and structured training opportunities for students with athletic potential.
The Project Approval Board has also cleared a proposal to provide school band sets to one selected Chief Minister Excellence and Early English (CMEEE) school in every district. A budget of ₹44 lakh has been sanctioned for the initiative.
Officials said the decision recognises Haryana’s strong performance in the Ministry of Education’s zonal-level school band competitions over the past two years. The move is expected to promote co-curricular activities and enhance students’ participation in cultural and leadership programmes.
State officials believe the newly approved education package will accelerate ongoing reforms in government schools while creating better learning environments for students across urban and rural areas. Along with infrastructure improvements, the focus will remain on skill development, sports, technology-enabled education and implementing the objectives of the National Education Policy, ensuring that Haryana continues to strengthen its position among India’s better-performing states in school education.
