The Ministry of Education has approved 176,728 smart classrooms across India under the Samagra Shiksha scheme . Uttar Pradesh leads all states with 34,533 approved classrooms. This initiative aims to enhance digital learning infrastructure in both rural and urban schools nationwide.
The government also identified 16,071 rural secondary schools for high-speed internet connectivity under the BharatNet project . This will accelerate digital learning capabilities, according to data shared by Jayant Chaudhary, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, in a Lok Sabha reply.
State-wise Distribution of Smart Classrooms
Uttar Pradesh received the highest number of approved smart classrooms. Data from the Prabandh portal, updated as of November 10, 2025 , shows other states also secured significant allocations:
| State/UT | Approved Smart Classrooms |
|---|---|
| Uttar Pradesh | 34,533 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 12,573 |
| Odisha | 11,776 |
| Bihar | 11,586 |
| Meghalaya | 25 |
| Lakshadweep | 0 |
Meghalaya recorded the fewest approvals with 25 classrooms, while Lakshadweep had zero approved smart classrooms.
Understanding Samagra Shiksha
The Department of School Education and Literacy implemented the Samagra Shiksha scheme as an integrated program for school education. Its objective is to provide inclusive and equitable quality education, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP 2020) . The scheme supports government and aided schools catering to classes VI to XII.
Financial assistance for smart classrooms includes a non-recurring grant of Rs 2.40 lakh per classroom (for two classrooms per school). A recurring grant of Rs 38,000 covers e-content, digital resources, and electricity charges. Components of a smart classroom typically include an interactive Digital Board, operating system, LCD/LED screen, printer, scanner, and laptops or desktops, as per an official press release.
Boosting Digital Connectivity and Resources
The Government of India’s Budget 2025 allocated provisions for broadband connectivity to all government secondary schools in rural areas via the BharatNet project . Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) will roll out this infrastructure in phases.
BSNL identified 16,071 schools located within 500 meters of an Optical Line Terminal (OLT) for high-speed internet connectivity in Phase 1. This strategic placement ensures efficient rollout based on feasibility.
Additionally, the scheme supports teacher capacity building for digital education through the Digital Infrastructure for Knowledge Sharing (DIKSHA) platform. DIKSHA offers a range of e-content and digital learning resources to educators.
Addressing Infrastructure Gaps
Analysis of UDISE+ data and Project Approval Board (PAB) meetings for 2025-26 identified infrastructure gaps in secondary and senior secondary schools across states and union territories. To bridge these identified gaps, a supplementary PAB meeting was held. This meeting addressed facility saturation in 32 states and UTs, including Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.