28 July : The Central Government has decided to set up 6000 high quality model schools at the block level, at the rate of one school per block, as benchmarks of excellence. The first phase of the scheme to set up 2500 Model Schools in educationally backward blocks (EBBs) under the State Governments was launched in November, 2008.
An amount of Rs.12,750 crore has been allocated for this scheme for the 11th Five Year Plan, and Rs.350 crore has been provided in the budget for 2009-10.
For the school to be set up and managed by State Governments, land is to be provided by the State Government concerned, which also has to bear 25% of recurring and non-recurring cost during the 11th Plan. The share of special category states is 10%. Medium of instruction, affiliating Board and admission policy are to be decided by the State Government. Eventually, every block is likely to have a model school.
This information was given by the Minister of State for Human Resource Development Smt. D. Purandeswari, in a written reply to a question, in the Rajya Sabha today.