When the Right to Education (RTE) Act came into force in 2009, it was celebrated as a landmark step in India’s journey towards equity and justice– guaranteeing free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14. In villages across Bihar, this has meant that most children now have a school building nearby and…
Nagaland, home to 17 major tribes and numerous sub-tribes, each with its distinct language, customs, and traditions, is also among the states consistently struggling with deep-rooted educational challenges and low learning outcomes. A large section of its population belongs to historically marginalised communities and Scheduled Tribes, making exclusion from quality education a generational hurdle. Beyond…
By Abhishek Jain, Head, Public Policy at Mantra4Change. Historical Background to the Right to Education The right to education refers to every person’s right to access quality education. It is a human right that is expressly recognised under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1948 (‘UDHR’)1 as a right available to all wherein “education shall…
By Abhishek Jain, Head, Public Policy at Mantra4Change. Evolution of ‘education policy’ in India Post India’s independence in 1947, multiple commissions were set up over 2 decades to ideate and design independent and modern India’s educational system. Gradually the central government realised that there was a need to formulate a national level policy to promote…
By Abhishek Jain, Head, Public Policy at Mantra4Change. Finding ‘education policy’ in the larger umbrella of ‘policy’ In policy discourse, the most common discourse usually surrounds ‘public policy’ where the classification of policy has been on the basis of ownership i.e., whether it is owned and/or created by a public institution/ actor. In cases where…
FROM ABANDONED TO ACCLAIMED: THE REMARKABLE JOURNEY OF AGETHUA SCHOOL(BLOCK- SOHAWAL, DISTRICT- AYODHAYA) The problem of low attendance and weak parental engagement Schools, however good, fail to fulfil their purpose if students don’t come. In Ayodhya, the Government Primary School of Agethua (Block Sohawal, District Ayodhya) was a stark reminder of this reality. By May…
“Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) is not just only the foundation of education but it is also the foundation of life. It has lifelong impact and by strengthening FLN, we strengthen the base from which we can expect further educational improvement.” —Mrs. Vibha Rani, Head of Department and State DIKSHA Coordinator, SCERT Bihar Importance of…
“Life is a race. If you don’t run fast, you will be like a broken undaa.”This infamous line, delivered by the character Viru Sahastrabuddhe, better known as Virus, in the 2009 Bollywood film 3 Idiots (directed by Rajkumar Hirani), portrays the relentless pressure of academic competition in India. Played brilliantly by Boman Irani, Virus is…
Introduction: The Often Overlooked Link In education reform conversations, the spotlight is often on two key areas of the system — policymakers who design ambitious reforms and teachers who bring learning to life inside classrooms. However, between these two extremes lies a powerful and often overlooked layer: the middle layer of educational leaders. These include…
From Chalkboards to Communities For too long, classrooms have been boxed into chalk-and-talk routines, rigid syllabi, and standardised exams. But across 80 schools in four tribal-dominated districts of Odisha, something different is taking shape. Classrooms are becoming kitchens, playgrounds, local markets, and storytelling corners. Students aren’t just studying lessons; they’re living them. From setting up…