Education
A Science-Based Approach to Enhance Infants’, Toddlers’ and Preschoolers’ Language and Reading Skills
“There is an abundance of recent research on language learning that is generally not being used to help infants and toddlers learn language skills at higher levels.” says Dr Robert C. Titzer.
Babies are born ready to be in relationships – they are hungry for love and attention. It is up to us, as parents, to meet their basic needs. To feed them, keep them safe and warm and make sure they get lots of sleep. Babies will survive if we meet these very primitive needs, but we don’t just want them to survive we want them to flourish! As parents we shower them with love, we cuddle them and comfort them because they are the apple of our eye and we adore them.
There is an abundance of recent research on language learning that is generally not being used to help infants and toddlers learn language skills at higher levels. This research could be used to guide decisions made by parents, teachers, preschools, or governments to help infants, toddlers, and preschoolers learn language and reading skills more efficiently. The following principles are applied in the “Your Baby Can Learn” program which is designed to enhance young children’s language learning in multiple languages in a fun, multisensory way
1 PROVIDE INTERSENSORY REDUNDANT INFORMATION WHEN TEACHING LANGUAGE SKILLS.
Babies who see and hear words at the same time will have intersensory redundant information. Having redundant sensory information has been shown to help babies learn more complex tasks (Bahrick, Lickliter, & Flom, 2004). Babies have very good crossmodal perceptual abilities (e.g., Ruff & Rose, 1987), so infants who see and hear individual words can learn what the words look like in a way that is similar to how they learn how the words sound (Titzer, 1998; Massaro, 2012). Even 2-day old babies have learned arbitrary auditory-visual relationships (Slater, Brown, & Badenoch, 1997).
2 ISOLATE WORDS, THEN USE THEM IN FLUENT SPEECH.
Isolating words, then hearing the words in fluent speech helps babies who are new to a language learn word segmentation (Lew-Williams, Pelucchi, & Saffran, 2011) over only hearing words in fluent speech. In addition, the number of times a word was used in isolation, but not the total number of times the word was heard, was a predictor of later word usage (Brent & Siskind, 2001).
3 TEACH THE SHAPE BIAS EARLY IN INFANCY.
The shape bias is the tendency to generalise information about an object by its shape, rather than its colour, material, or texture when learning nouns. For example, the shape of a cup or a chair lets you know that you can drink from the cup or sit on the chair. The cups and chairs can be any colour and they can be made out of numerous materials, but their shapes provide the relevant feature that is more likely to determine the function of the object and its category. Babies who learn shape bias learn new words and categories more quickly (e.g., Landau, Smith, & Jones, 1988; Smith, 2000; Gershkoff-Stowe & Smith, 2004), so learning to pay attention to shape earlier is very important. Smith, Jones, Landau, Gershkoff-Stowe, and Samuelson (2002) showed that 17- month-old infants can be taught to have a stronger shape bias in a laboratory setting in four 15-minute sessions and once they are taught they also learn new words in their home environments at faster rates. The videos, books, and word cards used with this approach intentionally vary the nonrelevant features of written words such as the font colour, background colour, and size while keeping the generalisable shapes of the words relatively constant by varying the fonts in order to teach babies the shape bias.
4 FREQUENCY EFFECTS IN LANGUAGE LEARNING ARE IMPORTANT, SO INCREASE THE INFANTS’ QUANTITY OF RELEVANT LANGUAGE.
The frequency effect states that when other factors are equal, a higher frequency of an aspect of language leads to more language learning. Frequency effects in language learning are found when infants or children are learning single words, simple syntactic constructions, and more advanced syntax as well as in other areas of language learning (Ambridge, Kidd, Rowland, & Theakston, 2015).
5 PROVIDE CLARITY OF LANGUAGE.
In many situations, there are numerous possible meanings when parents say words. For example, if someone says the word cup while drinking from a cup the baby must determine what is meant. Does the word could refer to the person, the action of drinking, the colour, size, or material of the cup, a part of the cup, the entire cup, or many other possibilities. It is very important to provide clear meanings to help babies learn words more efficiently. Cartmill, Armstrong, Gleitman, Goldin-Meadow, Medina, and Trueswell (2013) found that the clarity of the language input from parents predicted vocabulary three years later.
6 PROVIDE VARIOUS REPRESENTATIONS FOR THE SOUNDS, SHAPES, AND MEANINGS OF WORDS.
People say the same words in slightly different ways, so ideally, babies should hear men, women, girls, and boys saying the same words. This helps them generalise the sounds of the words. The same is also true with written language – the non-relevant factors such as colour, size, background colours, etc. should vary. The fonts are more relevant, but they should also vary to help the child’s ability to generalise to other fonts or even handwritten words.
When learning new words, babies are usually learning a category. For example, the word chair does not refer to only one chair. The variability of the exemplars plays a large role in whether children generalise the meaning of the word to a wide variety of chairs. Perry, Samuelson, Malloy, and Schiffer (2010) taught 12 categories to 18-month-old babies using either low or high variability. While both groups learned the exemplars that they were taught, Perry et al. (2010) found that increasing the variability of the exemplars helps babies generalise ordinal category words (such as chair) as well as superordinate categories (such as furniture).
7 THE DIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE IN A CHILD’S ENVIRONMENT SHOULD CHANGE OVER TIME.
Initially, repeating some high frequency words many times helps the baby learn the first words. Once infants have a strong shape bias, then they typically learn new words at a faster rate (e.g., Smith, 2000). Over time, the diversity of language drives the size of the child’s vocabulary, so the number of different words spoken to the child should increase. One of the benefits of reading books on many topics to children is the relatively large number of infrequently used words in children’s books.
8 MAKE LANGUAGE LEARNING INTERACTIVE.
For newborn infants, language learning can be relatively passive. By around 6 months of age, babies should be asked to say words, do physical actions related to the meanings of words, or answer questions about words. As infants learn language and motor skills, then parents and teachers can have early conversations with babies. Recent research shows that the number and quality of conversations becomes increasingly important around 18 months of age. “Conversational turns” between 18-24 months of age predict language scores 10 years later (Gilkerson, Richards, Warren, Oller, Russo, & Vohr, 2018).
9 TEACH MULTIPLE LANGUAGES SIMULTANEOUSLY INSTEAD OF SEQUENTIALLY.
Bilingual infants who learned two languages simultaneously from birth were compared with bilingual infants who learned languages sequentially after mastering the first language (Kousaie, Chai, Sander, & Klein, 2017). Simultaneous bilinguals had more optimal brain development and improved cognitive control. Cognitive control (also called executive control) makes flexible thinking and complex goal-directed thought more likely. The research points in the same direction for language learning that earlier is better and that simultaneous learning of language skills provides for more efficient brain development compared to sequential learning.
Evidence that this comprehensive approach works
The above scientific principles work individually as detailed above. The Your Baby Can Learn programme applies these principles. As new scientific studies are completed, the program adjusts to incorporate new information to improve the approach. A large component of the approach is educating the parents and caregivers about how to talk to babies and toddlers. Studies on this language enrichment program have spanned three decades with numerous researchers collecting data. The general findings are that babies, toddlers, and children who use this program learn additional vocabulary from using this approach and they learn to read words (Titzer, 1998, 2019, Downey, 2002; Perkins, 2009; Hare, Baldwin, & Okoth, 2013; Thompson & Titzer, 2019; Titzer & Thompson, 2019; Thompson, Titzer, Tarver, & Woods, 2019). One study had mixed findings where the parents reported positive results (that the babies learned vocabulary and to read words) and the researchers did not (Newman, Kaefer, Pinklam, & Strouseet, 2014). Additional positive data have been collected in Your Baby Can Learn classes in Hong Kong, the US, India, and other countries. An Anganwadi Project study (Raja & Patil, 2018) in Bangalore showed that the very young children learned English words using the program even though they did not get to use the program very frequently. In Hong Kong, many babies who used the program regularly have scored perfect scores on word reading tests (Titzer, 2019). A case study (Titzer, 1998) found that a baby who started at 3 months and 9 days could read more than 400 words by age 12 months and simple baby books that she had never seen by 18 months including sounding out novel words phonetically. In another study, 260 out of 261 parents with babies who consistently used the series said the program had a “positive” or “very positive” effect and none said it had a “negative” or “very negative” effect (Titzer, 2019). Hare, Baldwin, & Okoth (2013) used families with low SES in a longitudinal study and found 95% of parents said their babies or children learned vocabulary words from the program and 81% said their babies or children learned to read words using it. Downey (2002) found that young children with autism learned to read words from the program even though they only used the video part of the program. Studies show that babies who use the program learned to read an average of 17 out of the 20 words on the word reading test and they scored a full standard deviation above a same-socioeconomic status comparison group on overall language skills (Thompson & Titzer, 2019) and almost a full standard deviation above the comparison group on overall cognition (Titzer & Thompson, 2019).
Robert C Titzer Ph.D. is an American professor and infant researcher who created an approach to teach babies written language that later resulted in the Your Baby Can products. He has been a professor, teacher, and public speaker on human learning, and is founder of the Infant Learning Company, a company that produces learning products for infants.
Education is the wellspring of civilization. It begets arts, culture, sciences, and polity to create a society oriented towards discovery and development. Through the ages, education has evolved to meet the needs of the times, and presently, it has reached an inflection point. The inexorable advancement of technology, abundance of information, pressing societal challenges and climate crisis have compelled educators to re-imagine education for the 21st century.
With the rapid prevalence of generative artificial intelligence, the question rightly being asked is: “What should we teach children when almost all answers can be readily had from AI?” The education of tomorrow would reward critical thinking over knowledge. That is what our focus and onus as educators should be. Children, being the digital natives, are more inclined to leverage the full potential of technology. It is up to us to help them realize and understand that AI should augment – not replace – HI (human intelligence). To think critically, to understand, to create and innovate should always be the preserve of humans. The ‘human-first, tech forward’ approach should become the cornerstone of education, going ahead.
An equal focus has to be on building skills, values and attitudes to address the most pressing problems of the world today. The World Economic Forum’s Education 4.0 framework underscores the importance of nurturing global citizenship, environmental stewardship, growth mindset, adaptability, civic responsibility, socio-emotional awareness, empathy, and kindness. The challenge is to find ways to model these into learners’ personality, traits and behaviours.
Re-designing curricula, taking learning beyond classrooms, and reforming assessments could be the answer. Marks and grades can only be one of the benchmarks of learning. Time has come for us to consider skill-based and value-based assessments to reflect a learner’s competence and character. Here, the National Education Policy 2020 – with its progressive vision – can be the guiding compass to steer us towards a more holistic and value-driven paradigm of learning. Institutions should also harness technology to create personalized learning pathways to meet the unique needs of each student.
None of this transformation would be possible without more empowered and enlightened teachers. Progressive institutions are already taking a lead in continuous professional development of their teachers and staff. On their part, teachers will have to be open to unlearn and relearn, upskill and reskill to stay abreast of the new pedagogies and technology. They should be adept in delivering personalized learning using data-driven insights and adapt to the new role of facilitators in an ecosystem where student agency is growing increasingly assertive. Schools must actively engage with parents and students to help them understand the need to look beyond grades. Parents must be informed of the changing jobs market and the importance of building durable skills.
Reforms and initiatives are also required at the policy level to attract private capital into an education landscape where private schools are outnumbered by government schools but cater to about half of the total 24.8 crore school-going student population. The potential of public-private partnerships should also be explored to elevate the quality of education in government schools. Digital infrastructure across the nation has to be strengthened to make learning accessible to the last child in the remotest of places. Creation and dissemination of multi-lingual content will enhance inclusivity of learning in the new Bharat.
Today, the education fraternity, governments, and parents need to collaborate to facilitate this transition into Education 4.0. We need to re-envision education as a human development endeavor to create a sustainable future wherein prosperity goes hand-in-hand with people and the planet. Right intentions need to be followed with earnest action. The future will be India’s to claim.
This article is authored by-
Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman, Seth Anandram Jaipuria Group of Educational Institutions
Within the conversation of future-ready education, empathy has moved from being characterized as a “soft” individual characteristic to being identified as an essential social and cognitive ability. Frameworks such as the OECD Learning Compass 2030, UNESCO’s Global Citizenship Education, and the World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report put empathy at the forefront of skills required to succeed in an uncertain, interdependent world.
From Emotion to Competence
Empathy is confused with sympathy, yet they are essentially different. Empathy is an active, cognitive, and affective process, the capacity to grasp another’s emotional situation, comprehend it in context, and react creatively. Neuroscientific research, for example, by Decety and Jackson (2004), illustrates that empathy engages both the limbic system, which controls emotional resonance, and the prefrontal cortex, which controls perspective-taking and rational reaction. Briefly put, empathy does not just mean “feeling with someone”, it means thinking with feeling, where intellect and emotion unite to shape behaviour and decision-making.
Early Childhood (Ages 3–6) – Seeds of Empathy
At the age of three to six years, children in early childhood start showing the beginning signs of empathy by what is termed as “emotional contagion” by psychologists. They tend to cry when others cry or smile when others smile due to the observed emotional state. By the time they are four or five years old, according to research conducted by Zahn-Waxler et al. (1992), children start showing other-oriented concern like sharing, comforting, or embracing a fellow child who looks distressed. Empathy at this age is still primarily affect-based; children sympathize with others but possess little ability to grasp intricate frames of mind. Teachers can cultivate these early roots of empathy through narrative, role-playing, and guided social-emotional education that offer the vocabulary and structure to make sense of emotions.
Middle Childhood (Ages 7–12) – Perspective-Taking Develops
By middle childhood, around ages seven to twelve, empathy is increasingly cognitively complex. They start to understand that people might think and feel differently from themselves, an ability outlined in Selman’s stages of perspective-taking. Peer relationships are increasingly important at this stage, and children increasingly become sensitive to fairness, belonging, and group membership. According to research by Eisenberg et al. (2010), this is a critical window for the instruction of moral reasoning in addition to empathy. Cooperative learning activities, peer mediation programs, and community service offer children meaningful opportunities for empathy extension from intimate friendships to include strangers and even members of out-groups.
Adolescence (Ages 13–18) – Abstract and Global Empathy
An important stage in the development of empathy is adolescence, which lasts from the ages of thirteen to eighteen. Adolescents gain the ability to relate to abstract ideas such as global emergencies, injustice, and inequality. According to Blakemore’s (2018) neuroimaging research, adolescent brain regions involved in identity formation and social cognition are more active. However, hormonal changes and heightened self-awareness are also hallmarks of adolescence, which makes young people more reflective. Schools can assist in this area by offering intentional opportunities for teenagers to develop empathy, such as discussion forums that foster critical thinking, service-learning initiatives that are linked to current events, and cross-cultural interactions that extend their horizons. Adolescents can use these activities to channel their growing empathy into constructive civic engagement.
Young Adulthood (18+) – Empathy as Leadership Skill
Empathy matures during late adolescence and young adulthood as a skill that is intricately linked with emotional control, leadership, and ethical choice. Now, it transcends interpersonal interaction to become the hallmark of effective leadership. More employers are realizing this; a 2022 LinkedIn survey indicated that 78 percent of employers view emotional intelligence as equally or even more important than technical skills. Universities and workplaces increasingly require such competencies, and schools can prepare young adults through leadership programs, mentorship positions, and reflective practices that instil empathy in civic and professional life.
Beyond Awareness to Application
While awareness of empathy is valuable, its real utility comes from practice. Schools need to inculcate empathy not only in coursework but in lived experience. Narrative immersion in literature, film, and even virtual reality allows students to step into other people’s shoes. Structured ethical discussions in dialogic classrooms offer the space for respectful disagreement and deeper understanding. Cross-age mentorship, where older students mentor younger ones, develops a sense of responsibility while strengthening bonds across age. Service-learning, when paired with structured reflection, develops empathy into action. Even cutting-edge tools that offer emotional analytics while working in a team can assist students in self-evaluating and managing their emotions, turning empathy into a mindful and deliberate process instead of an automatic reaction.
The 21st-Century Payoff
The dividend of developing empathy in education is significant. In a world of artificial intelligence, empathy is one differentiator that makes us uniquely human. The World Economic Forum (2025) identifies emotional intelligence, empathy, and collaboration as among the future workforce’s top ten skills. Students who can read emotional team dynamics, negotiate across cultures, and build authentic relationships are not just more hireable but indeed invaluable in a fast-paced professional landscape.
Empathy is not a mushy virtue but a developmental skill that develops systematically throughout childhood and adolescence. Schools that deliberately foster it are not just creating smarter students; they are raising wiser, kinder citizens who can lead with compassion and resilience. Empathy is a moral and practical necessity for 21st-century education, the bridge that unites emotional intelligence and the needs of an interconnected world.
(This article is authored by Dr. Silpi Sahoo, Chairperson, SAI International Education Group)
In a world where algorithms power everything from our social media feeds to self-driving cars, it’s no surprise that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming one of the oldest pillars of education—math learning in the classroom. Once confined to textbooks and chalkboards, math instruction is now getting a high-tech upgrade, ushering in a new era of personalised, engaging, and data-driven learning.
Cracking the Code: Why Math Needs a Makeover?
Let’s face the fact that many students see math as abstract, intimidating, or just plain boring. Traditional classroom approaches often take a one-size-fits-all route, leaving behind both the struggling learner and the gifted problem-solver. This is where AI steps in, not to replace the teacher, but to empower them with tools that adapt to each student’s pace, gaps, and style.
Enter AI: The Digital Math Mentor
Imagine a classroom where a student struggling with fractions gets instant, visual explanations tailored to their exact misunderstanding. At the same time, another who excels in geometry is offered advanced challenges to stretch their thinking. AI platforms are doing just that. They use real-time data to analyse student responses, detect patterns of error, and provide feedback that feels like one-on-one tutoring.
Far from replacing educators, AI acts as a powerful teaching assistant. Teachers can use AI dashboards to spot who needs extra help, where the class is lagging, or what concepts need reteaching without spending hours on manual assessments. This frees up more time for creativity, collaboration, and real-life math applications that bring numbers to life.
AI also allows classrooms to become more inclusive and equitable. Language barriers? AI can offer multilingual support. Visual learners? Dynamic simulations and interactive tools adapt seamlessly. Students with special needs? Personalized pacing ensures no one falls through the cracks.
What’s Next? The Future of Math + AI
As AI grows more sophisticated, so does its potential in math classrooms. Think AI-generated practice problems based on local news, gamified learning paths that turn algebra into an adventure, or virtual tutors available 24/7 for homework help.
But with great power comes great responsibility. Educators, parents, and developers must ensure that AI tools remain ethical, transparent, and supportive, not controlling or biased.
Math education is no longer just about memorising formulas or solving problems on paper. In the AI-powered classroom, it’s about curiosity, connection, and confidence. With the right blend of technology and teaching, we’re not just raising better mathematicians but combining critical thinking with the subject for a world powered by data and driven by ideas.
This article is authored by-
Ranjith P C, Head Curriculum Excellence, TVS Education
What happens when self-worth becomes a scrolling statistic? When confidence is measured in likes, validation is sought in comments, and a missed post feels like a missed opportunity, social media quietly becomes more than a platform; it becomes a mirror that distorts.
For the younger generation, the digital world isn’t an escape. It’s their reality. What once was a space for fun and connection now silently dictates their self-image, decisions, and even mental health. A carefully crafted caption, the right filter, or a viral reel can spark joy, but it can also fuel anxiety, insecurity, and constant comparison.
As engaging as social media is, it comes with an invisible cost. The pressure to be constantly available, consistently appealing, and endlessly relevant can take a toll. Many teenagers find themselves trapped in a loop of approval-seeking, often mistaking online popularity for personal worth.
Online peer pressure has evolved from being subtle to strategic. Likes are currency, stories are reputation, and every post is performance. Combine that with cyberbullying, misinformation, and the relentless pace of content, and you’ve got a digital space that’s as overwhelming as it is addictive.
Yet, knowing how to use social platforms doesn’t mean knowing how to handle them. Digital literacy has surged, but digital emotional intelligence still needs nurturing.
Recognising the urgency of this shift, Nirvaan Birla, Founder of Birla Open Minds, shared, “We see it every day. The impact social media is having on the younger generation’s mental and emotional wellbeing is significant. That is why at Birla Open Minds, we have initiated sessions like ‘Likes vs. Life’ across our schools. These sessions are designed to help learners reflect on their relationship with social media, how it affects their confidence, their focus, and their sense of self. Our larger vision is to shape not just academically strong individuals but also emotionally resilient ones who can navigate the digital world with awareness and responsibility.”
The idea isn’t to villainize social media. It’s to humanize its users. What the younger generation needs most isn’t just digital access, but digital awareness. The ability to pause. To question. To ask: Is this who I really am, or just who I’m trying to be online. Because beyond the reels, hashtags, and likes lies something far more important: life. And that should never be lived for an algorithm.
Here’s the thing about privilege: most of us don’t even realise how it shapes our choices, our comfort zones and the opportunities we chase
I’ve been thinking about this for a while now, but it hit me harder during a recent conversation with a college student. One of the factors they had in mind while choosing their higher education institution was that most of the students there came from similar economic backgrounds. They felt uneasy at the thought of being in a space where others might be less privileged than them. And just like that, it became clear: even the discomfort of being around inequality is, in itself, a kind of privilege.
Here’s the thing: privilege wears many faces. Money, yes. But also caste. Gender. Language. Skin tone. Disability. Geography. And then there’s what Gen Z calls “pretty privilege”—the unspoken perks of fitting society’s standards of attractiveness. These aren’t abstract ideas. They play out every day—in who gets picked, who gets heard, who gets help without asking.
This isn’t about guilt. Guilt gets us nowhere. Awareness, though? That’s powerful. Students should be taught to recognise the invisible lifts they get. It’s not just that some kids have better shoes—it’s that they’ve never had to worry about having shoes. It’s not just about who studies in English-medium schools—it’s about who gets praised for speaking English at all.
Privilege doesn’t cancel out hard work. It explains the head start. And when students understand that, they become better humans. They stop seeing success as a solo act and start acknowledging the small privileges they enjoy. These can be supportive families, access to tutors, clean water, a safe route to school. Things so normal for some, they fade into the background. Afterall, acknowledgment is the first step to building empathy.
So where do schools come in? Right at the heart of it. Not with token assemblies or once-a-year poster competitions, but with consistent conversations. Through stories, books, theatre, debates—whatever gets them to look up from their own experience and into someone else’s. Not to feel bad, but to build perspective. And maybe, just maybe, to use their privilege to lift someone else.
This isn’t about shaming anyone or turning life into a comparison game. It’s about empathy and responsibility. When students know they benefit from privilege, they can harness it to help others. They can mentor younger kids, fundraise for resources, or simply speak up when they see inequality in the classroom.
This isn’t a curriculum change. It’s a mindset shift. It’s the difference between raising achievers and raising citizens. If we teach kids to see both their own comfort and the struggles of others, we’ll nurture a generation that doesn’t just accept their advantages but shares them too.
If we want an education system that prepares students for the real world, then recognising privilege isn’t a side-topic. It’s foundational.
(This article is authored by Dhruv Chhabra, Lead-Content and Design at ScooNews and reflects the author’s personal beliefs and lived observations as an education journalist and storyteller. It is written with the hope that classrooms can become kinder, more aware spaces.)
India is on the verge of a major overhaul in how it governs higher education, with the government aiming to replace the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) with the proposed Higher Education Commission of India (HECI). The move, aligned with the National Education Policy 2020, seeks to create a more efficient, autonomous, and accountable regulatory system.
Why Replace UGC, AICTE & NCTE?
The current structure—with multiple agencies overseeing different sectors—has long faced criticism for being fragmented and bureaucratic. Overlaps in jurisdiction, slow decision-making, and limited autonomy for institutions have prompted calls for reform. Committees like the Yash Pal and National Knowledge Commission have recommended a unified regulator to reduce red tape and improve coordination.
What HECI Will Look Like
According to the draft and Lok Sabha updates by Education Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar, HECI will have four independent verticals:
-
Regulation (NHERC) – compliance and governance
-
Accreditation (NAC) – quality assurance
-
Grants (HEGC) – performance-based funding
-
Academic Standards (GEC) – curriculum and learning outcomes
This “light but tight” approach aims to foster innovation and autonomy while maintaining integrity and transparency.
Potential Benefits
-
Streamlined oversight: Instead of navigating multiple authorities, institutions will liaise with one regulator.
-
Better resource allocation: Integrated funding vertical offers performance incentives, echoing models in the UK and Australia.
-
Unified standards: Accreditation and curriculum will be uniform, reducing interstate disparities.
-
Global alignment: Can enhance India’s appeal with international quality frameworks.
Risks & Concerns
-
Centralisation: Experts warn that vesting extensive power in one body may over-centralise control, risking academic freedom.
-
Loss of specialised oversight: Domain experts from UGC, AICTE, and NCTE may be diluted.
-
Bureaucratic inertia: Transition could bring its own delays and resistance from existing bodies.
-
Compliance complexity: Institutions may face confusion adapting to new norms and vertical structures.
Global Inspiration & Way Forward
Many countries offer models worth emulating: the UK’s Office for Students (OfS), Australia’s TEQSA, and the US’s accreditation agencies show that one-regulator systems can work—if they strike a balance between oversight and autonomy. The NEP framework supports this, but success hinges on a smooth transition, capacity building, and safeguarding academic freedom.
In short, HECI is more than an institutional reshuffle. It has the potential to redefine Indian higher education—if implemented thoughtfully. The challenge now lies in building consensus, streamlining regulatory roles, and ensuring this new body empowers institutions, not constrains them.
This news has been sourced from various media outlets, with parts of it written and contextualised by the ScooNews editorial team.
More than 4.7 lakh counterfeit NCERT textbooks have been confiscated across India since 2024, the Ministry of Education revealed in the Rajya Sabha this week. The large-scale crackdown is part of NCERT’s renewed efforts to combat textbook piracy and safeguard access to authentic, affordable learning materials for students nationwide.
Responding to a written query in the Upper House, Minister of State for Education Jayant Chaudhary stated that textbook piracy has been rampant across multiple states, driven primarily by commercial interests of unauthorised entities. Between 2024 and 2025, over 4.71 lakh fake NCERT books were seized during enforcement operations.
In a series of raids across 29 locations suspected of producing or distributing counterfeit books, NCERT officials also uncovered stocks of fake watermarked paper and high-end printing equipment — collectively worth over ₹20 crore. These raids aimed not only to halt the illegal printing supply chain but also to reinforce the credibility of NCERT materials.
“NCERT textbooks are printed on a no-profit, no-loss basis to reach every child in the country,” Chaudhary reiterated in his reply.
To further stem the piracy tide, NCERT has taken several preventive steps, including reducing textbook prices by 20%, modernising printing methods, and making books more widely available through e-commerce platforms. These steps are aimed at reducing dependency on black-market sources by ensuring affordable and timely textbook access.
In collaboration with IIT Kanpur, NCERT also piloted a tech-based anti-piracy solution using a patented mechanism in one million copies of a Class 6 book. This innovation allows books to be tracked and authenticated, potentially creating a digital trail to curb piracy in the future.
In a sobering update shared in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State for Education, Sukanta Majumdar, revealed that student suicides constituted 7.6% of all suicide cases reported in India in 2022. While marginally lower than the figures in 2021 (8.0%) and 2020 (8.2%), the data underlines an ongoing mental health crisis among the nation’s youth.
The statistics were drawn from the Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India (ADSI) report published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), as per the minister’s written response in Parliament.
Recognising the urgency of the matter, the Centre has ramped up efforts to address student mental health through a multi-pronged strategy. This includes psychological support not only for students but also for educators and families, aiming to create a more holistic safety net within the education system.
As reported by The Indian Express, Minister Majumdar highlighted the Ministry of Education’s Manodarpan initiative, which has reached lakhs of students across India through tele-counselling, webinars, and live interactions. Parallel efforts under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare’s District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) now cover 767 districts, offering suicide prevention services and life skills training in schools and colleges.
Adding to this, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued advisories to higher education institutions urging them to prioritise student welfare, fitness, and emotional well-being. Institutions like IIT Madras, IIT Delhi, and IIT Guwahati have started conducting resilience-building and stress management workshops under the Malaviya Mission Teacher Training Programme.
Addressing addiction among youth, the Centre has also intensified anti-drug campaigns to accompany its mental health outreach.
Separately, the Ministry of Education is in the process of drafting legislation to establish the Higher Education Commission of India (HECI), aiming to unify regulation under a single authority. The new body will replace existing agencies like the UGC, AICTE, and NCTE, aligning with the NEP 2020 vision of a “light but tight” governance framework that promotes autonomy, innovation, and accountability.
In a notification issued on Monday, to enhance student safety and ensure accountability on school campuses, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has mandated the installation of high-resolution CCTV cameras with real-time audio-visual recording across all affiliated schools.
According to the notification, the board has amended its Affiliation Bye Laws-2018, requiring the installation of CCTV cameras at all critical points within school premises, including classrooms, corridors, libraries, staircases, and other key areas—excluding washrooms and toilets. The footage must have a minimum backup of 15 days and should be made available to authorities upon request.
This directive is part of CBSE’s broader commitment to ensuring students’ physical and emotional well-being. It aims to create safer learning environments by preventing bullying, intimidation, and other implicit threats. The move also aligns with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR)’s ‘Manual on Safety and Security of Children in Schools’, released in 2021, which outlines safety protocols for creating secure and supportive school settings.
In the official circular, CBSE Secretary Himanshu Gupta stated, “Children have a constitutional right to live with dignity and access education in a safe and supportive environment. The safety has two aspects — from unscrupulous, un-societal elements and from implicit threats like bullying. All such threats can be addressed using modern surveillance technologies.”
The board noted that bullying significantly impacts student self-esteem and mental health. “Children require a healthy and nurturing environment to thrive. This decision is part of our effort to foster that environment,” the notification read.
While many private schools have welcomed the move, citing improved monitoring and security, several government school representatives expressed concern over the implementation. They highlighted the need to repair existing non-functional cameras before investing in new technology.
As implementation begins, the directive reinforces CBSE’s stance on prioritising student safety through proactive and tech-enabled solutions.
For Sandhya Ukkalkar, the path to becoming an educator in the field of special education was never just a professional decision — it was deeply personal. It began in the quiet, determined moments of motherhood, as she searched for a school that could truly understand her son’s unique needs. Diagnosed with Autism and Intellectual Disability, he required more than care — he needed acceptance, structure, and a nurturing environment.
In 1996, a compassionate doctor guided her to Jai Vakeel School. From the moment her son was enrolled, Sandhya witnessed a transformation that brought not only relief, but hope. Encouraged by the school’s doctor, she enrolled in a special education course, and by June 2000, she returned to the same institution — this time as a teacher. Over the years, she grew into the role of Principal of the Autism Centre at Jai Vakeel, dedicating her life to children who, like her son, simply needed to be seen, understood, and supported.
What sets the Autism Centre apart is not just its experience or legacy, but its guiding philosophy: a child-led, strengths-based approach that celebrates neurodiversity. Here, each learner follows an Individualised Education Plan (IEP), supported through small groups, one-on-one sessions, and methodologies that include Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Sensory Integration, and Visual Supports. The goal isn’t to fit children into a mould but to honour their unique ways of engaging with the world.
Serving children aged 3 to 18, the centre focuses on early intervention, functional academics, and pre-vocational training — all grounded in a multisensory curriculum aligned with NCF and NCERT. For the 31 students with Autism and Intellectual Disability who currently attend, the emphasis lies on building communication and sensory skills that can translate into real-world independence.
Sandhya believes collaboration is the cornerstone of success. At the centre, therapists, educators, parents, and healthcare professionals work as a unified team. Over 75% of the children served come from low-income families, and many receive free or subsidised education and therapy through rural camps and outreach programs.
“These aren’t luxuries,” Sandhya insists, referring to tools like sensory rooms and assistive tech. “They’re essentials.”
And the results are deeply moving. Children who once struggled with attention now engage joyfully in sessions. Some who were non-verbal begin to use gestures, visuals, and eventually words. Others transition into mainstream schools. One student, now preparing for CA exams, once needed foundational classroom readiness support. These are not isolated cases — they are the product of consistent, individualised attention and belief.
For Sandhya, the real victories come in the smallest moments: a child pointing to a picture to communicate, another who finally sits through a full session, or a parent whispering “thank you” with tears in their eyes. These everyday breakthroughs are everything.
Her personal experience as a parent gives Sandhya a unique lens. She understands the fears, hopes, and quiet triumphs families carry. That’s why parental involvement is not optional at the centre — it’s essential. Families regularly participate in progress meetings, classroom observations, and hands-on training. Home goals — practical and doable — are shared, and customised visual aids help ensure continuity beyond school hours. Emotional support is offered just as readily as academic strategies.
Still, the challenges are real. There is a pressing shortage of professionals trained in autism-specific interventions, especially for students with high support needs. Assistive communication tools are expensive and often out of reach. Space is limited, even as demand grows. Sandhya dreams of expanding — with dedicated sensory rooms, inclusive playgrounds, and classrooms designed for neurodivergent learners. “These help children feel safe, calm, and ready to learn,” she says.
Her vision for the future is clear: inclusion that goes beyond tokenism. She dreams of classrooms where neurodivergent children aren’t merely accommodated, but genuinely valued — where belonging is a given, not a gift. To get there, she believes we must build on three pillars: Mindset (a shift from awareness to true acceptance), Capacity (training educators, therapists, and families), and Belonging (where every child is emotionally safe and socially included).
As she looks ahead, Sandhya hopes to increase enrolment, offer structured training for parents and teachers, partner with inclusive schools for smooth transitions, and support students well into adulthood — through vocational training, community participation, and self-advocacy.
Her journey is a reminder that special education isn’t just about what children need — it’s about what they deserve.
Because, as Sandhya says,
“In every smile, there’s a victory. And every child deserves to smile.”
Read the full story in our issue of Teacher Warriors 2025 here.
Education with Purpose: Shaping Responsible Learners for a Better Tomorrow
Empathy as a 21st-Century Competency: Developing Emotional Intelligence among Students
Math Meets Machine: How AI Is Revolutionising Classroom Learning
Nirvaan Birla on Why Social Media Needs a Rethink in Today’s Classrooms
Teaching Privilege: Why It Belongs in Every Classroom
India Plans Unified Higher Education Regulator: What the HECI Bill Means
Over 4.7 Lakh Pirated NCERT Books Seized Since 2024, Govt Reports
Student Suicides Account for 7.6% of All Cases in India: What the Govt Is Doing Next
CBSE Makes CCTV Cameras with Real-Time Audio-Visual Recording Mandatory in Schools
In Every Smile, a Victory – Sandhya Ukkalkar’s Journey with Jai Vakeel’s Autism Centre
CBSE Plans Two-Level Science and Maths in Classes 11–12 to Ease Pressure and Boost Flexibility
Indian Army to Sponsor Education of 10-Year-Old Who Aided Troops During Operation Sindoor
State Boards Empowered to Offer Skilling & Assessment Under New NCVET Model
Lighting the Way, One Beam at a Time – Monika Banga
University of Southampton Opens First Full-Fledged Foreign University Campus in India
Dancing Beyond Boundaries – The Story of Krithiga Ravichandran
NCERT’s New Class 8 History Textbook Addresses “Darker Periods”, Highlights Religious Intolerance and Resilience
QS Rankings 2026: Delhi Named Most Affordable; Mumbai In Top 100 for Best Student Cities
From Classrooms to Boardrooms: Women Leaders Drive the Vision of Viksit Bharat
The Man Who Called His Students Gods: Dwijendranath Ghosh
NCERT Launches New Class 5 & 8 Textbooks, Makes Art Education Mandatory
US Embassy Tightens Social Media Checks for Student Visas
A School Without Walls: The Pehchaan Story, Led by Akash Tandon
CBSE Requests Affiliated Schools to Host NIOS Public Exams in October–November 2025
When AI Reaches the Top of Bloom’s—and Our Students Are Left Behind
Banu Mushtaq’s International Booker Win Is a Wake-Up Call for Indian Schools to Reclaim Literature
OpenAI Academy Launches in India to Democratise AI Education for Students, Teachers, and Startups
Mizoram Declared First Fully Literate State in India
NCERT Launches New Class 5 & 8 Textbooks, Makes Art Education Mandatory
CBSE To Conduct Board Exams Twice for Class 10 from 2026
Delhi Government Schools to Introduce ‘Kaushal Bodh’ Pre-Vocational Programme for Classes 6 to 8
No More Backbenchers: How a Simple Seating Shift Is Reimagining Learning
Kerala Reimagines Schooling: Social Awareness Over Syllabi in Bold New Reforms
Government Doubles Down on Coaching Centres: New Panel Signals Stronger Regulation Ahead
The Man Who Called His Students Gods: Dwijendranath Ghosh
PadhAI Conclave Highlights Urgent Role of Artificial Intelligence in Indian Education
UNESCO Flags Foundational Learning Crisis & Leadership Gaps in India’s Education System
In Every Smile, a Victory – Sandhya Ukkalkar’s Journey with Jai Vakeel’s Autism Centre
NCERT’s New Class 8 History Textbook Addresses “Darker Periods”, Highlights Religious Intolerance and Resilience
Curriculum Controversy at Delhi University: Academic Voices Clash Over Syllabus Overhaul
Government School Enrolment Drops Across States, Centre Flags ‘Disturbing Trend’
Indian Army to Sponsor Education of 10-Year-Old Who Aided Troops During Operation Sindoor
Assam Brings Sign Language to Senior Secondary Classrooms in Landmark Move
CBSE Directs Schools to Map Mother Tongues, Pushes for Multilingual Classrooms in Foundational Years
University of Liverpool to Open First International Campus in Bengaluru by 2026
Four Indian Schools Shine on the Global Stage at World’s Best School Prizes 2024
Ministry of Education Launches Month-Long Nationwide Drive to Make Schools and Colleges Tobacco-Free
World Environment Day: Why Your School’s Environmental Education Needs a Cleanup
When AI Reaches the Top of Bloom’s—and Our Students Are Left Behind
Over 10,000 Unrecognised Schools in Bihar, Jharkhand: Education Ministry Flags Violation of RTE Act
SGEF2023 | Special Address by Rama Datt, Trustee, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Trust, Jaipur
ScooNews | After Movie | ScooNews Global Educators Fest 2023
Aftermovie | NIES2 UP Chapter | 21 Jan 2023
WEBINAR | Gamification in Education: How Digital Badges Can Boost Student Motivation and Engagement
ScooNews | WEBINAR| Importance of Physical Activity for Children at School | Plaeto
SCOONEWS | WEBINAR | WHY DIGITIZING YOUR SCHOOL IS A MUST | TEACHMINT
Keynote Address | Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar
Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, CBSE at SGEF2022
How schools can nurture every student’s genius
Aftermovie | SGEF2022 | Jaipur
Li Andersson | Minister of Education | Finland
Anurag Tripathi, Secretary, Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) discusses NEP2020
ScooNews | Early Ed Asia 2019 | Aftermovie
#PodarECEconf : Pursuing quality ECE
#CBSE Class XII #Results #Highlights
The interesting story of India’s educational system | Adhitya Iyer
A young scientist’s quest for clean water
The Danger of Silence: Clint Smith
National Digital Library of India is an initiative by HRD Ministry
Remembering Kalpana Chawla on her birthday!
Message from Sadhguru for Students!
Message from Sadhguru for Students!
The Untapped Genius That Could Change Science for the Better
Eddy Zhong: How school makes kids less intelligent TEDxYouth@Beacon
#TEDxCanberra : What if every child had access to music education…
-
Education3 months agoBanu Mushtaq’s International Booker Win Is a Wake-Up Call for Indian Schools to Reclaim Literature
-
Education3 months agoOpenAI Academy Launches in India to Democratise AI Education for Students, Teachers, and Startups
-
Education3 months agoMizoram Declared First Fully Literate State in India
-
Education1 month agoNCERT Launches New Class 5 & 8 Textbooks, Makes Art Education Mandatory
-
Education2 months agoCBSE To Conduct Board Exams Twice for Class 10 from 2026
-
Education3 months agoDelhi Government Schools to Introduce ‘Kaushal Bodh’ Pre-Vocational Programme for Classes 6 to 8
-
Education2 months agoNo More Backbenchers: How a Simple Seating Shift Is Reimagining Learning
-
Education3 months agoKerala Reimagines Schooling: Social Awareness Over Syllabi in Bold New Reforms
-
Education2 months agoGovernment Doubles Down on Coaching Centres: New Panel Signals Stronger Regulation Ahead
-
Education1 month agoThe Man Who Called His Students Gods: Dwijendranath Ghosh
