The Full Form of NPEGEL is‍ National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level.

National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Education (NPEGEL). The National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level (NPEGEL), is a focussed intervention of Government of India, to reach the “Hardest to Reach” girls, especially those not in school. Launched in July 2003, it is an important component of SSA, which provides additional support for enhancing girl’s education over and above the investments for girl’s education through normal SSA interventions.

The programme provides for the development of a “model school” in every cluster with more intense community mobilization and supervision of girls enrolment in schools. Gender sensitisation of teachers, development of gender-sensitive learning materials, and provision of need-based incentives like escorts, stationery, workbooks and uniforms are some of the endeavours under the programme.

The scheme is being implemented in educationally backward blocks (EBBs) where the level of rural female literacy is less than the national average and the gender gap is above the national average; in blocks of districts which are not covered under EBBs but are having at least 5% SC/ST population and where SC/ST female literacy is below 10%; and also in select urban slums.