Centre, states strengthen school education partnership at national conclave

Pradhan highlighted the progress achieved through flagship programmes such as Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, NIPUN Bharat, PM POSHAN and ULLAS.

The Union Government and States have reaffirmed their commitment to working together to improve school education, with Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan stating that both are equal partners in delivering better learning opportunities for every child. Speaking at the two-day Conclave of State and Union Territory Education Ministers in New Delhi, the minister said closer coordination would help speed up the implementation of key education programmes and support the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The conclave, organised by the Department of School Education and Literacy under the Ministry of Education, brought together Education Ministers, senior officials and policymakers to review the progress of Centrally Sponsored Schemes and discuss ways to improve educational outcomes across the country.

Focus on stronger cooperation and better learning

Addressing the gathering, Pradhan said the conclave offers an important opportunity for the Centre and States to exchange successful practices, identify common challenges and improve the implementation of major education schemes. He added that the discussions would also contribute to the upcoming PRAGATI review chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, where progress on key initiatives will be assessed.

The minister stressed that building a future-ready education system requires continuous cooperation between all levels of government while ensuring that reforms remain focused on students, teachers and schools.

Foundational learning and technology remain priorities

Pradhan highlighted the progress achieved through flagship programmes such as Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, NIPUN Bharat, PM POSHAN and ULLAS. He encouraged States and Union Territories to continue strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy while investing in teacher empowerment, wider use of technology and artificial intelligence, classroom innovation and the overall development of students.

He also urged States to promote children's mother tongues alongside multilingual education, saying strong language foundations play an important role in improving learning outcomes during the early years of schooling.

States reaffirm commitment to inclusive education

Minister of State for Education and Skill Development Jayant Chaudhary also addressed the conclave, calling for continued collaboration between the Centre and States to strengthen school education and improve student performance across the country.

The first day's sessions included presentations on the progress of Samagra Shiksha, education-related priorities under the PRAGATI framework and the latest educational indicators across States and Union Territories. Senior officials from the Department of School Education and Literacy shared updates and discussed measures to improve implementation and monitoring of key programmes.

Education Ministers from across the country reaffirmed their shared commitment to ensuring equitable, inclusive and high-quality education for every learner, while supporting the long-term vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.