The Haryana education department has launched Mission SAFALTA (Student Achievement Focused Academic Learning Targeted Action) to improve Class 10 and 12 board examination results, eliminate zero-pass government schools and double the number of schools achieving a 100% pass rate.
The initiative aims to improve students’ overall academic performance through targeted interventions, regular assessments, additional teaching support and closer monitoring of learning outcomes. It also seeks to ensure that every government school improves its results and no student is left behind.
Principal Secretary (School Education) Vijay Singh Dahiya, who is spearheading the initiative, shared details of the action plan with school heads and district education officers (DEOs) on October 22.
“The core objectives are achieving zero failures, doubling the number of schools achieving 100% pass percentage and improving the cumulative scores and pass metrics of all students,” Dahiya said.
The department has developed a school-level framework covering academic improvement, assessment, alignment and accountability. Schools, however, will have the flexibility to design and implement their own strategies within the framework, taking into account students’ learning levels, academic requirements and local circumstances.
Students to receive support based on academic performance
A key component of Mission SAFALTA is the classification of students into three groups based on their performance in mid-term and class tests. The approach is intended to address learning gaps and provide support tailored to each student’s needs.
Students scoring below 50% will receive special assistance to strengthen their basic concepts and achieve the minimum competencies required to pass. Those scoring between 50% and 80% will be guided towards a better understanding of subjects and improved answer-writing skills.
Students scoring above 80% will be encouraged to raise their performance further, with a target of achieving 90% or higher.
The department’s seven-pillar framework focuses on identifying learning gaps, providing additional academic support, improving revision methods, maximising teaching and learning time, and monitoring performance closely with active participation from parents.
Dahiya said the broader objective was to help students gain confidence before their board examinations and maximise their scoring potential.
Weekly tests and focused revision to strengthen preparation
Regular testing will form a central part of the mission. Schools have been directed to conduct written tests every Saturday to assess students’ understanding, identify learning gaps and pinpoint errors that could cost them marks in the board examinations.
Students requiring additional assistance may also be given weekly objective-type, open-book tests. Teachers will prepare concise revision notes, organise repeated practice of diagrams and help students improve the presentation of their answers.
Schools have been asked to analyse question papers from the previous five years of board examinations to identify recurring topics. They will also prioritise basic concepts and relatively easier topics that together account for around 40% to 50% of theory marks.
Half-yearly examinations will be used to identify students who are struggling academically. Those identified will have to attend remedial classes, while pre-board examinations will help teachers assess remaining learning gaps and determine what further support is needed.
Students who fail their board examinations and are placed in the compartment category will be offered summer remedial camps to prepare for supplementary examinations. The measure is also intended to improve the state’s overall pass percentage.
Schools divided into red, yellow and green zones
Mission SAFALTA introduces a colour-coded system to monitor schools according to their mid-term examination results and determine the level of intervention required.
Schools with pass percentages below 50% will be placed in the red zone and receive immediate intervention, regular mentoring and a 30-day academic recovery plan. Their progress will be reviewed every fortnight.
Institutions recording pass percentages between 50% and 80% will fall in the yellow zone. They will be expected to improve their performance through regular reviews and targeted measures to move into the higher-performing category.
Schools with pass percentages above 80% will be classified in the green zone. Their performance will also be monitored, with the focus on identifying areas for improvement and helping them achieve a 100% pass rate.
The department has also called for fortnightly reviews of subject-wise pass percentages and average marks. Schools will be required to track syllabus completion, revision progress and students at risk of failing. The additional measures are intended to help identify underperforming schools early and ensure corrective action is taken without delay.
Board classes to get uninterrupted teaching time from January 1
To give students more time for examination preparation, the department has proposed a zero-interruption period for Classes 10 and 12 from January 1 until the board examinations conclude.
Non-academic activities for students in these classes will be restricted during this period, with Republic Day celebrations being the exception. Teachers assigned to board classes will also be kept away from non-academic duties so they can concentrate on teaching, revision and resolving students’ doubts.
School heads will be responsible for ensuring that classes are conducted according to the timetable. Any teaching time lost because of official duties or alternative arrangements will have to be compensated.
Schools facing shortages of subject teachers have been advised to use video lessons, digital boards, projectors and other information and communication technology equipment to ensure that teaching continues.
Principals and district officials to monitor progress
The framework places responsibility for implementation on school heads, teachers and district-level education officials.
Principals will review their schools’ performance through scorecards every fortnight. Subject teachers will maintain records of students’ existing performance and prepare simplified study material wherever necessary.
Parent-teacher meetings will be organised after half-yearly and pre-board examinations to discuss students’ results, identify areas requiring improvement and agree on the steps needed to strengthen their preparation.
District education officers have been directed to visit schools regularly, interact with principals and teachers, review individual students’ progress and ensure that corrective measures are taken on time.
The department has called for the identification of schools that need the most urgent support. District authorities are expected to monitor subject-wise performance and learning gaps, while schools will track syllabus completion, revision and students at risk of failing.
Schools allowed to tailor improvement plans
While the department has set out common targets and monitoring mechanisms, it has clarified that the framework is indicative rather than exhaustive. Schools can introduce additional measures based on their local needs, students’ academic requirements and available resources.
Dahiya has emphasised that Mission SAFALTA should be treated as a time-bound priority, with interventions planned around measurable improvements in student performance.
The overall objective is to strengthen classroom learning, provide struggling students with timely academic support, make better use of teaching hours and improve accountability at every level.
Through regular assessments, targeted remedial teaching and continuous monitoring, the department aims to eliminate government schools with zero pass percentages, double the number achieving 100% results and improve the overall performance of students appearing for the Class 10 and 12 board examinations.