STARS project

Why in news?

• Union Cabinet has approved STARS project worth Rs 5718 crore.

About STARS:

• STARS is abbreviation for The Strengthening Teaching-Learning and Results for States (STARS)).
• The project will get the financial support from the World Bank amounting to US $ 500 million (approximately Rs. 3700 crore).

What is the focus of STARS project?

• The overall focus and components of the STARS project are aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 of Quality Based Learning Outcomes.
• The Project envisions improving the overall monitoring and measurement activities in the Indian School Education System through interventions in selected states.
• The project shifts focus from the provision of inputs and maintaining of outputs to actual outcomes by linking the receipt and disbursement of funds to these outcomes.

How will STARS project work?

• The STARS project seeks to support the states in developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving interventions with direct linkages to improved education outcomes and school to work transition strategies for improved labour market outcomes.
• STARS project would be implemented as a new Centrally Sponsored Scheme under the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education. (MOE).
• Under STARS, The Ministry of Education (MoE) will establish PARAKH, an assessment centre that will set standards for the 60-odd examination boards in the country as announced in the New Education Policy.
• The STARS project also aims to focus on initiatives of PM e-Vidya, Foundational Literacy and Numeracy Mission and National Curricular and Pedagogical Framework for Early Childhood Care and Education as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan.

Where will STARS project be implemented?

• List of states where STARS project is implemented initially are Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Odisha.
• It has been envisaged that the STARS project will be implemented in five more states in the near future namely Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Assam.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding STARS project:
1.It is a world bank assisted Project in education sector.
2.It will be implemented as a centrally sponsored project.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a)1 only
(b)2 only 
(c)Both 1 and 2 
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question