Context:
Under the National Digital Education Architecture (NDEAR), the Education Ministry is pushing States to open Vidya Samiksha Kendras (VSKs) which are data repositories PM-POSHAN, UDISE+ etc.
About PM POSHAN Scheme:
- World’s largest school meal programme
- Aim – To attain the goal of universalization of primary education.
- Primary objective – To provide cooked meals to every child within the age group of 6 to 14 years studying in classes I to VIII who enrolls and attends the school.
- Renamed as ‘Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman’ scheme (PM Poshan Scheme) in 2021.
- Also covers students of balvatikas (children in the 3–5-year age group) from pre-primary classes.
- Ministry – Ministry of Education
- Centrally sponsored scheme.
- Objective –
- Address hunger and malnutrition
- Increase enrolment and attendance in school
- Improve socialisation among castes
- Provide employment at grassroot level especially to women.
- Coverage –
- All government and government aided schools, Madarsa and Maqtabs supported under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
- Around 11.80 crore children under the provisions of the National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA).
About UDISE+:
- An application to collect the school details about factors related to a school and its resources.
- An updated and improved version of UDISE (Ministry of Education).
- Developed by – Department of School Education & Literacy
- Aim – To overcome the issues related to erstwhile practice of manual data filling in paper format.
- Importance –
- It captures additional data indicators like digital library, number of books available in school library, etc.
- It measures the education parameters from classes 1 to 12 in government and private schools across India.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
With reference to the provisions made under the National Food Security Act, 2013, consider the following statements:
1. The families coming under the category of ‘below poverty line (BPL)’ only are eligible to receive subsidised food grains.
2. The eldest woman in a household, of age 18 years or above, shall be the head of the household for the purpose of issuance of a ration card.
3. Pregnant women and lactating mothers are entitled to a ‘take-home ration’ of 1600 calories per day during pregnancy and for six months thereafter.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2018 Prelims]
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 3 only
Answer: (b)
