India, July 4 -- The union ministry of education on Thursday raised serious concerns about the condition of Maharashtra's school education system while approving the annual work plan and budget (AWP&B) for 2026-27 under the Samagra Shiksha scheme. A huge concern expressed was the lack of digital infrastructure-even as topics such as artificial intelligence and coding are being introduced in schools, around 97.12% of eligible upper primary schools lack information and communication technology (ICT) labs.

The Project Approval Board (PAB), an independent committee convened by the ministry, also highlighted gaps in teacher recruitment, digital facilities and student enrolment, and asked the state to take urgent corrective steps. According to...