Cabinet approval: 4 November 2026 | Updated: 5 November 2026 | Polity • Judiciary • Women and child protection • GS-II
The Union Cabinet on 4 November 2026 approved continuation of the Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs), including exclusive POCSO Courts, for five years—from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031. The approved financial outlay is ₹3,788.04 crore. The scheme provides for 850 courts across participating States and Union Territories, compared with 779 functional courts reported at the time of approval. It is a judicial-capacity programme intended to accelerate disposal of pending rape and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
FTSC extension: key facts
| Parameter | Cabinet-approved provision |
|---|---|
| Scheme | Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Fast Track Special Courts |
| Continuation | 1 April 2026–31 March 2031 |
| Total outlay | ₹3,788.04 crore |
| Central share | ₹2,353.15 crore, funded from the Nirbhaya Fund |
| State/UT share | ₹1,434.89 crore |
| Courts | 850 FTSCs, including exclusive POCSO Courts |
| Current functional count | 779, including 399 exclusive POCSO Courts |
| Disposal since launch | 4,02,457 cases |
| Participating States/UTs | 29 |
All figures are from the Cabinet decision published by the Prime Minister’s Office. The additional districts are to be identified using pendency of rape and POCSO cases, rather than a uniform allocation to every district.
Why the scheme was created
Specialised courts were introduced against the background of delays in criminal trials involving sexual offences and the need for a more focused judicial response. The FTSC scheme was launched on 2 October 2019 following the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018 and in compliance with directions of the Supreme Court dated 25 July 2019 in Suo Motu Writ (Criminal) No. 1 of 2019.
The Supreme Court had directed establishment of exclusive Special Courts in districts with more than 100 pending POCSO cases. The scheme initially ran for one year and was subsequently continued up to 31 March 2026. The latest Cabinet approval provides a further five-year period and expands the planned coverage to 850 courts.
The POCSO Act, 2012 is a special law protecting children from sexual offences. Its definition of a child is a person below 18 years of age. The Act provides child-sensitive procedures, including safeguards concerning recording of evidence and trial. FTSCs are intended to support the timely adjudication of cases under this framework; they do not replace the substantive law or remove procedural protections.
What is a Fast Track Special Court?
A Fast Track Special Court is a dedicated court arrangement for specified categories of cases. In this scheme, the focus is rape cases and offences under the POCSO Act. Exclusive POCSO Courts are devoted specifically to POCSO matters, while other FTSCs may deal with the designated categories as prescribed. This is distinct from a general statement that every criminal case in a district is automatically fast-tracked.
The Cabinet-approved staffing model provides each FTSC with:
- one dedicated Judicial Officer;
- one Special Public Prosecutor assigned exclusively to the court; and
- six support staff.
Dedicated personnel can reduce administrative fragmentation, improve case preparation and help the court concentrate on older pending matters. A Special Public Prosecutor is responsible for prosecution, while adjudication remains with the judicial officer. The court must still apply evidence law, fair-trial requirements and the rights of the accused and the victim.
Funding: Centre, States and the Nirbhaya Fund
The scheme is Centrally Sponsored, not a Central Sector Scheme. Its approved outlay is shared between the Union and participating States/UTs: ₹2,353.15 crore is the Central share and ₹1,434.89 crore the State/UT share. The Central component is funded from the Nirbhaya Fund, a dedicated corpus intended to support initiatives for women’s safety.
For examination purposes, remember the distinction: Central Sector schemes are generally fully funded and implemented by the Union Government, whereas Centrally Sponsored Schemes involve Centre–State participation according to the scheme’s funding pattern. Do not infer a standard percentage ratio from this announcement; the published Cabinet figures are the authoritative amounts.
Implementation and monitoring
The Department of Justice under the Ministry of Law and Justice is responsible for monitoring the scheme in coordination with State Governments and UT administrations. The approved framework includes financial assistance for operational expenditure, regular progress reporting, expenditure statements and consultations with High Courts and States.
The Department of Justice uses the FTSC Dashboard and periodic data collection to review functioning. Monitoring should assess more than the number of courts notified. Important operational measures include:
- courts actually functional and staffed;
- cases received, disposed of and pending;
- age of cases and time taken at different stages;
- availability of prosecutors and support staff;
- infrastructure, witness attendance and victim-support arrangements; and
- quality of proceedings and compliance with child-sensitive safeguards.
The Cabinet release records 4,02,457 cases disposed of since inception. This is a cumulative scheme figure; it should not be interpreted as the total number of cases pending nationally, nor as proof that every case was concluded within a particular statutory time limit.
What the 2026–31 continuation seeks to achieve
The extension is expected to strengthen judicial capacity, reduce pendency and facilitate timely justice for women and children. Expanding from 779 to 850 courts means a planned increase of 71 courts, subject to operationalisation. Additional locations will be selected based on case-pendency data, allowing the programme to respond to districts where designated cases are concentrated.
However, court creation alone cannot eliminate delay. Timely investigation, forensic reports, witness protection, legal aid, victim support, prosecution preparation, judicial vacancies and court infrastructure all influence outcomes. The scheme’s success should therefore be assessed through actual functioning and disposal trends—not only the sanctioned number of courts or financial outlay.
Speed must also be balanced with due process. The objective is expeditious adjudication, not hurried or predetermined outcomes. A fair trial, reliable evidence, the child’s dignity and protection from intimidation remain essential to justice.
Static GK and exam relevance
- UPSC GS-II: judiciary, access to justice, criminal justice reforms, vulnerable sections, women’s safety and child rights.
- GS-I Society: issues relating to women and children, social empowerment and institutional responses to violence.
- GS-III: governance implementation, public expenditure, monitoring and accountability.
- Polity: POCSO Act, 2012; Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, 2018; Supreme Court directions; Ministry of Law and Justice; Department of Justice.
- Scheme facts: launch 2 October 2019; continuation 1 April 2026–31 March 2031; ₹3,788.04 crore; 850 courts; 4,02,457 cumulative disposals; Nirbhaya Fund finances the Central share.
For current policy context, read the Daily Current Affairs 5 November 2026 and the related Critical Mineral Processing Scheme explainer. Use the UPSC & State PSC Preparation Hub for structured GS revision.
Quick revision
FTSCs are dedicated courts for designated rape and POCSO cases; the scheme began on 2 October 2019; the Supreme Court’s 25 July 2019 directions preceded it; POCSO defines a child as below 18 years; the Cabinet approved continuation from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2031; total outlay ₹3,788.04 crore; Central share ₹2,353.15 crore from Nirbhaya Fund; State/UT share ₹1,434.89 crore; 850 courts planned; 779 functional (399 exclusive POCSO) at approval; 4,02,457 cases disposed since launch; 29 participating States/UTs.
Official source: Union Cabinet decision—PM India, 4 November 2026. Candidates should use the official scheme documents and the latest legal text for any subsequent amendment or implementation change.
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