Arunachal to spend Rs 1500 crore more under 'Shikshit Arunachal Mission'
Itanagar, June 18
To strengthen school infrastructure, teacher deployment, digital education, and institutional reforms in the state, the Arunachal Pradesh government on Thursday announced that it will spend Rs 1500 crore more under the "Shikshit Bharat to Shikshit Arunachal" Mission.
According to an official statement released by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), the decision was taken in the state cabinet meeting held recently under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Pema Khandu. Under the flagship scheme, the state has undertaken one of the most comprehensive education reforms in its history.
According to the Arunachal Pradesh government, during Phase-I (2023-2026), the government has invested Rs 3,612.50 crore towards strengthening school infrastructure, teacher deployment, digital education, institutional reforms and learning outcomes across the state. With the proposed Phase-II investment of Rs 1,500 crore, the total mission investment will exceed Rs 5,100 crore by 2029.
As per the statement, key achievements highlighted before the State Cabinet includes - Rationalization of the school network from 2,890 schools to 1,885 schools, enabling better deployment of teachers and resources through 538 host schools; Enactment of the Arunachal Pradesh Transfer and Posting Act, 2026 and implementation of the digital Teacher Registry Portal, resulting in over 2,600 merit-based teacher transfers; Establishment of modern digital governance systems, including the Arunachal Vidya Nidhi (AVN) platform and Vidya Sameeksha Kendra, ensuring real-time monitoring of educational infrastructure and service delivery; Significant improvement in academic performance, with CBSE Class X pass percentage increasing by 21.7% and Class XII pass percentage increasing by 22.8%, bringing the State close to the national average; Improvement in national educational rankings, with Arunachal Pradesh securing 17th position in the PARAKH Rashtriya Sarvekshan 2024, while also registering notable gains in the Performance Grading Index (PGI) and NITI Aayog SDG rankings.
Additional achievements are Construction and upgradation of educational infrastructure, including 50 Golden Jubilee Schools, 90 PM Shri Schools, more than 120 hostels, 152 science laboratories, 159 libraries, over 400 sanitation facilities, 300 PM Poshan kitchens and 180 staff quarters, with a special focus on remote and border areas; Recruitment and deployment of specialized teachers, including 150 Special Education Teachers, and extensive capacity-building programmes benefiting more than 7,000 education stakeholders; Promotion of indigenous languages and culture through development and distribution of 75,100 textbooks in 10 tribal languages, alongside strengthening of Bhoti language education.
The mission, as per the statement, laid the foundation for a transformative and future-ready education ecosystem and reaffirmed its commitment to achieving universal access to quality education, modern infrastructure, digital learning and improved learning outcomes by 2029.
On the other hand, the State Cabinet was apprised of the implementation framework of the Chief Minister's Comprehensive State Rural Road Development Programme (CM-CSRRDP), a flagship initiative announced in the State Budget.
The programme aims to provide all-weather road connectivity to all unconnected habitations with populations below 250 by 2029.
A total of 1,129 habitations covering approximately 6,567 km of road network are proposed to be connected through phased investments of Rs 2,000 crore over the next three financial years.
The initiative is expected to improve access to education, healthcare, markets, government services, livelihood opportunities and tourism while promoting rural economic growth and balanced regional development.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Impressive jump in CBSE pass percentages! From far below national average to almost catching up is no joke. Also happy to see digital monitoring systems like Vidya Sameeksha Kendra - transparency is key.
I appreciate the focus on infrastructure - 50 Golden Jubilee Schools, 152 science labs, 159 libraries. But I hope the teacher quality also improves. Mere buildings won't educate children, good teachers will. The 2,600 merit-based transfers are a step forward though.
Love the indigenous language initiative! 75,100 textbooks in 10 tribal languages is amazing. We need to preserve our cultural heritage while modernizing education. Also good to see 150 Special Education Teachers being hired - inclusive education matters. 👏
The road connectivity plan is also excellent - connecting 1,129 habitations with 6,567 km of roads. Education and roads go hand in hand for development. But I wish they'd also focus on internet connectivity in these remote areas for true digital education.
Good to see real data behind the claims - 21.7% increase in Class X pass percentage, 22.8% in Class XII. That's tangible progress. The PARAKH ranking of 17th nationally is also encouraging for a state that was often at the bottom. Hope this continues! 😊
J