Adolescent Nutrition Chart
POSH Act (2013), the Internal Complaint Committee (ICC) of Samagra Shiksha under downloads
EQUITY:
The Equity Component of Samagra Shiksha Assam aims to provide inclusive, equitable, and quality education by addressing the specific needs of girls, marginalized children, and adolescents in government and provincialized schools across the state. In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the component prioritizes:
• Safety and security of girls in schools.
• Health, nutrition, and hygiene education.
• Mental health and emotional well-being support for students.
• Life skills and career guidance for holistic adolescent development.
• Special outreach for marginalized communities including SC, ST, and tea garden areas.
The year 2024–25 witnessed significant progress through innovative interventions and convergence with key stakeholders, ensuring that every child, regardless of background, gets equal opportunities for growth and development.
Key Achievements & Activities:
A) Rani Laxmibai Atma Raksha Prashikshan – Self Defence Training for Girls
Objective: To empower girls in Upper Primary , Secondary and Higher Secondary classes ( VI to XII) with basic self-defence skills for personal safety, confidence building, and regular school attendance.
Programme Highlights:
• Implemented in 9,262 Government and Provincialized Upper Primary and 4105 Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools across 33 districts of Assam.
• 3-month structured training in martial arts — Taekwondo, Judo, by certified instructors from District Sports Authorities.
• Real-time monitoring and instructor profiles maintained through the Shiksha Setu Portal.
• Special orientation sessions conducted for instructors in collaboration with District Sports Officers, DIET Physical Instructors, and Health Department experts.
• Training equipment like boxing gloves, punching bags, and pads supplied to all targeted schools.
Coverage:
Parameter Achievement (2024–25) Schools Covered: 9,262 Upper Primary and 4195 Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools
Girls Trained: 6,20,571 girls ( VI to VIII) and 430153 girls ( IX to XII)
Districts: 33 Implementation Modalities:
• Instructors allocated at a ratio of 1 trainer for every 2 schools.
• Small-group sessions are conducted 3 days a week.
• Training rolled out in two phases due to limited instructor availability:
o Phase I: September–November 2024
o Phase II: December 2024–February 2025
• Attendance and performance are tracked with photo documentation and registers maintained by schools and district offices.
• Certification awarded to every girl completing the programme through recognized martial arts associations.
Outcomes:
• Girls gained practical self-defence skills to handle unsafe situations confidently.
• Improved self-esteem, courage, and peer interaction among participants.
• Enhanced school attendance and retention rates of girl students.
• Fostered a sense of discipline and teamwork through martial arts practice.
B) Special Project for Equity :
The Special Project for Equity under Samagra Shiksha, Assam focuses on the holistic development of adolescents, ensuring safety, health, emotional well-being, and life skills for students across government and provincialized schools. These initiatives are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-4) and National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The following activities were conducted in the year 2024-25:
1. Ensuring Child Safety: Safe Touch, Unsafe Touch
Objective:
To educate and sensitize adolescents about safe and unsafe touch, child protection laws, and cyber safety to prevent abuse and exploitation. Key Highlights:
• 294 Master Trainers trained at the state level in collaboration with UNICEF, RATI Foundation (Mumbai), and Independent Thought (New Delhi).
• 13,288 Nodal Teachers (one from each 9256 Upper Primary and 4032 Secondary and Higher Secondary school) trained across 33 districts.
• 19,13,801 students sensitized on topics including:
o Safe and unsafe touch o Child protection laws (POCSO, JJ Act)
o Issues of gender sensitivity and inclusion, including transgender awareness
o Cyber safety and responsible online behavior
• Child Safety modules and posters distributed to all targeted schools for sustained awareness.
Impact:
• Increased awareness and reporting of unsafe situations by students.
• Empowered adolescents to seek help and support when required.
• Stronger community and teacher involvement in ensuring child safety.
2. Adolescent Health, Nutrition, and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM)
Objective:
To improve the health, nutrition, and menstrual hygiene practices among adolescent boys and girls for better school participation and overall well-being. Key Activities:
• Development and distribution of Adolescent Nutrition Chart to schools (VI to XII) in English, Assamese, Bodo, and Bangla for classroom reference.
• Monthly Adolescent Health , Nutrition and MHM sessions in schools through interactive workshops, webinars, and field activities in collaboration with the Health Department.
• Weekly supervised administration of Iron and Folic Acid (IFA) tablets to address anemia.
• Awareness campaigns on locally available iron-rich foods and balanced dietary habits.
• 13,288 Nodal Teachers (one from each 9256 Upper Primary and 4032 Secondary and Higher Secondary school) trained across 33 districts and 19,13,801 students covered ( VI to XII).
Impact:
• Increased awareness of nutrition needs and adoption of healthy dietary habits.
• Reduction in anemia prevalence through regular IFA supplementation.
• Improved school attendance among adolescent girls during menstrual cycles due to better hygiene management.
3. Child Mental Health and Protection in Schools
Objective:
To promote mental health awareness and well-being of adolescents, and create safe, inclusive, and supportive school environments. Key
Activities:
• Distribution of Activity Books for Students and Teacher Handbooks on mental well-being under the MANODARPAN initiative.
• Mental health awareness sessions for students, teachers, parents, and community members, conducted by Nodal Teachers trained in collaboration with NIMHANS.
• Establishment of Happiness Zones and Wellness Corners in schools as safe spaces for emotional expression.
• Introduction of Drop Boxes in secondary schools for students to anonymously share issues related to stress, bullying, or academic pressure.
• Awareness of Tele-MANAS (14416) and Manodarpan helpline (8448440632) services for 24/7 counseling.
• Observance of World Mental Health Day (10th October) with campaigns, storytelling, yoga, art sessions, and peer-led activities.
• 13,288 Nodal Teachers (one from each 9256 Upper Primary and 4032 Secondary and Higher Secondary school) trained across 33 districts and 19,13,801 students covered ( VI to XII)
Impact:
• Promoting students' emotional well-being through preventive measures, early identification of psychological concerns, and timely referral to professional support services.
• Enhanced awareness and acceptance of mental health among adolescents and school communities.
• Positive behavioral changes, reduced stigma, and improved student–teacher engagement.
• Creation of supportive psychosocial environments in schools.
4. Life Skills Education
Objective: To equip adolescents with essential life skills that foster resilience, critical thinking, effective communication, and positive decision-making.
Key Activities:
• Weekly Life Skills Education sessions in 9,256 Upper Primary and 4032 Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools, conducted by trained Nodal Teachers as per the Academic Calendar.
• The Assam Life Skill Framework has 11 core Life Skills viz: Problem Solving, Empathy, Effective Communication, Negotiation, Self Awareness. Creativity , Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Self-Management, Resilience, Participation along with the 21st Century Skills in line with the CBSE guidelines covering topics viz: Financial Literacy (Investment: Understanding Risks and their Mitigation, Insurance: Borrowing/Loans: Finances related to Employment), Digital Literacy (MS Basic - MS Excel & MS PPT, Information) , Career Awareness (Career Exploration, Career Pathways), Media Literacy(Internet Security) Computational Thinking( Introduction to Computer Science, Practical ) • Life Skill Module developed and given to all Schools ( VI to XII)
• The Life skills are taught to students through activity-based, experiential learning which is supported by online monitoring and field hand-holding by District Programme Officers and Support Officers from Magic Bus India Foundation( MBIF.
• 13,288 Nodal Teachers (one from each 9256 Upper Primary and 4032 Secondary and Higher Secondary school) trained across 33 districts and 19,13,801 students covered ( VI to XII) Impact:
• Increased confidence and social skills among adolescents.
• Improved decision-making, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Life Skills are learned by adolescents through activity based and joyful learning.
• Enhanced attendance and retention, particularly for girls, reducing dropouts across schools.
C) Career Guidance Programme for Girls
Objective:
To equip adolescents in secondary and higher secondary schools (Classes IX–XII) with career awareness, guidance, and mentorship, enabling informed decision-making and smoother transitions to higher education, vocational training, or employment.
Key Activities:
• Teacher Capacity Building:
o Trained 147 Master Trainers (MTs) at the state level through a 3-day residential programme.
o 4,032 Nodal Teachers (NTs) trained at the district level to act as career counselors in their schools.
o Distributed career guidance modules for standardised implementation across schools.
• School-Level Interventions: o Introduced a weekly 30-minute career guidance session in every secondary school.
o Distributed Career Guidance Table Books (Volumes 1, 2, 3and 4) with over 400 career pathways.
o Career Guidance PODCAST: Career Guidance sessions through PODCAST conducted every 1st , 3rd and 5th Friday where students from AIIMS, IIT, NLU etc. share their journey to success with students of classes IX to XII through Tele Education, Smart Classrooms.
o Organized monthly workshops and expert sessions at schools.
o Established Career Guidance Cells in every secondary school with a trained nodal teacher.
o Career guidance modules and booklets shared with AROHAN mentees.
Coverage:
• Schools: 4,032 secondary and higher secondary schools
• Students: 7,58,684 adolescents (girls and boys) received career guidance and mentoring. Impact:
• Increased awareness of diverse career options across academic, technical, vocational, and skill-based fields.
• Students gained clarity on strengths, interests, and career pathways, enabling informed decision-making.
• Improved attendance and retention, especially among girls.
• Strengthened career counseling infrastructure for long-term sustainability.
D) Sanitary Pad for Adolescent Girls
Objective:
To ensure improved menstrual hygiene management (MHM) among adolescent girls in upper primary schools, thereby reducing absenteeism and promoting health, dignity, and well-being.
Programme Highlights:
• Sanitary pads distributed to 6,42,455 girls enrolled in Upper Primary Classes (VI–VIII) and 449868 girls in Secondary and Higher Secondary schools ( IX to XII) across government and provincialized schools during FY 2024–25.
• Procurement and quality standards aligned with Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and Sanitary Waste Guidelines, 2018 issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
• Seamless collaboration with the formation of the State Technical Committee with National Health Mission (NHM) and UNICEF to ensure quality assurance, technical inputs, and smooth distribution.
Modalities of Implementation:
1. Procurement Process
• Formation of a State-Level Technical Committee comprising representatives from NHM, UNICEF, and key government officials to finalize pad specifications.
• Procurement carried out through the GeM portal, ensuring transparency, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to government norms.
• An MoU signed with the selected vendor to ensure timely delivery and distribution of sanitary pads.
2. Distribution and Usage
• Nodal female teachers and Co Nodal Femal Teachers designated as custodians for pad distribution in each school and their names and contact number displayed in Schools.
• In schools where vending machines are provided, sanitary pads provided through automated systems.
• In schools without vending machines, pads stored in clean cupboards and distributed on-demand and monthly entitlement by the Nodal Teacher. • Proper registers maintained with details of:
o Student name
o Class
o Month of distribution
o Quantity provided
3. Monitoring and Feedback
• Bi-monthly online and offline reviews with DEEOs, DMCs, and DPOs to assess distribution, stock, functional status of vending machines, and usage trends.
• Incorporating students’ feedback to monitor and enhance the quality and suitability of sanitary pads supplied..
• Feedback collected from students, teachers, and parents to improve the programme’s effectiveness.
• Regular monitoring of attendance to assess the impact of pad availability on reducing absenteeism.
Impact:
• Significant reduction in school absenteeism among adolescent girls during menstrual cycles.
• Improved menstrual hygiene practices and awareness in schools.
• Ensuring good health and hygiene and increased confidence and participation of girls in academic and co-curricular activities.
• Strengthened community and parental support towards menstrual health education.
E) Special Focus on SC, ST and SEDGs
Objective:
To provide equitable education and protect children from SC, ST, and tea garden communities by creating awareness on scholarships, child protection, and social empowerment.
Key Activities:
• Implemented in 147 blocks focusing on SC/ST and Tea garden dominated areas across 33 districts.
• Scholarship & Schemes Awareness: Orientation sessions for students, parents, and teachers; Handbook on social protection schemes distributed.
• Child Protection: Awareness on child marriage, child labour, and trafficking; quarterly observance of Prevention of Early Child Marriage Day; display of helpline numbers; DLC meetings with stakeholders.
• Community Awareness: Folklore-based programmes to sensitize communities and empower adolescents as change agents.
Impact:
• Increased awareness of scholarships, schemes, and child protection.
• Enhanced parental and community engagement in education.
• Strengthened school safety and adolescent empowerment. Impact Highlights The Equity Component of Samagra Shiksha, Assam has brought measurable changes in the lives of students, particularly adolescent girls, by focusing on safety, empowerment, and well-being.
• Increased School Attendance Improved attendance rates, particularly among girls, due to confidence from self-defence training and access to sanitary pads.
• Career Awareness and Guidance Career guidance sessions, workshops, and counseling helped students explore diverse academic, vocational, and skill-based career pathways, enabling informed decisions and reducing school dropouts.
• Improved Confidence and Empowerment Girls displayed greater self-assurance in handling unsafe situations and participating in school activities.
• Holistic Adolescent Development Programmes focusing on life skills, mental health, and nutrition have enhanced problem-solving skills, resilience, and interpersonal communication among adolescents.
• Breaking Social Taboos Greater openness in discussing menstrual hygiene and mental health, reducing stigma and fostering a supportive school environment.
• Community Engagement Teachers, parents, and local communities have become active partners in sustaining the initiatives, ensuring long-term impact.
In 2024–25, Samagra Shiksha, Assam, empowered adolescent girls through initiatives focused on self-defense, life skills, mental health, menstrual hygiene, and child protection, with strong support from schools, communities, and partner departments.
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 POSH - Order (Internal Complaint Committee ) | 68.36 KB |  |