Primary Education in Zilla Parishad Schools of Gadchiroli District: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies for Quality Improvement.

Primary education forms the foundation of human development and plays a critical role in achieving inclusive and equitable growth. In Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, where nearly 38% of the population belongs to Scheduled Tribes and many villages are located in remote forest areas, Zilla Parishad (ZP) schools serve as the primary educational institutions for rural and tribal children. Despite significant government initiatives under Samagra Shiksha, the Right to Education (RTE) Act, PM POSHAN, and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, ZP schools continue to face numerous challenges including inadequate infrastructure, teacher shortages, multilingual classrooms, seasonal absenteeism, poor learning outcomes, digital inequality, and socio-economic barriers. This paper reviews the current status of primary education in Gadchiroli district, identifies major challenges, and proposes practical strategies for improving educational quality. The study is based on secondary data collected from government reports, research publications, and educational policy documents.