New Delhi, Jan 2 : The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the implementation of a centrally sponsored scheme to universalise access to and improve quality of education at secondary stage, called Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) during the 11th Five Year Plan.

As regards the financing pattern and fund flow, Union Government shall bear 75 per cent of the project expenditure during the 11th Five Year Plan, with 25 per cent of the cost to be borne by State Governments.

Sharing pattern will be 50:50 for the 12th five year plan. For both the 11th and 12th Plans, funding pattern will be 90:10 for North Eastern States. Rs. 20, 120 crore has been allocated for the Scheme during the 11th Five Year Plan.

The objective of the scheme is to achieve a General Enrolment Ratio (GER) of 75 per cent for classes IX-X within five years by providing a secondary school within a reasonable distance of every habitation, improve quality of education imparted at secondary level through making all secondary schools conform to prescribed norms, and remove gender, socio-economic and disability barriers, Universal access to secondary level education by 2017 by the end of 12th Five Year Plan and Universal retention by 2020.

The scheme will be implemented in a mission mode, with a National Mission headed by the Union Minister for HRD and a project approval board headed by Secretary (School Education and Literacy) to appraise and approve state plans. (ANI)