Knowledge

Early Childhood Education …Because the early bird catches the success curve

From informal play-based learning recommended by the National ECCE Policy, to the need for a common standard across the country regarding quality and curriculum, to the importance of well-trained teachers, a brief A to Z of Early Childhood Education in India.

Published

8 years ago

March 13, 2018

Nichola Pais

Preschool teachers are nothing more than babysitters. Preschool is way too expensive. Early childhood education is ineffective. Children should be able to play and not have a structured environment…Just some of the many misconceptions floating around about Early Childhood Education (ECE).

Research however proves that we commit the gravest mistake by writing off the early years of a child as an unimportant period; and ECE, as an inconsequential filler before ‘real life’ begins. Truly, it is real life, itself! A child’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional skill development occurs most during this period, which sows the seeds of success in later life. It is the child’s experiences during these crucial early years, which determines its survival and success in life, laying the grounds for learning and holistic development. Supportive family and community care practices, proper nutrition and healthcare, and the right learning opportunities make all the difference to a child’s development in this key phase.

Early Childhood Education (ECE) has a positive impact on attendance, retention, and learning of children in elementary and higher education. More importantly, interventions in early childhood are seen to have long-term effects on future social adjustment and economic success, and are even passed on to subsequent generations. ECE provides sustained benefits in terms of cognitive learning and socio-emotional adjustment, particularly for children at risk. Yes, it is time ECE received the attention it deserves, from the government, educators and parents.

While challenges continue to loom, a quick point-wise overview of the realm of ECE in India…

A – Anganwadis
Since 1975, the ministry of Women and Child Development has been providing free-of-charge integrated child development services (ICDS) in the areas of health, nutrition, community awareness and non-formal preschool education to children in rural areas, minority groups, slums, and underdeveloped areas through the Early Childhood Care and Education centres called Anganwadis. As of December 2015, there were more than 13 lakh operational Anganwadis (courtyard shelter) centres in India.

B – Basic Goals
Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) has been included as a specific target in the Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The objective is to ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education so that they are ready for primary education. India is among the 193 countries that have endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and is committed to working towards the achievement of these basic goals. The SDG goals recognize that children are agents of change when they channel their infinite potential to create a better world.

C – Common Standard
A common standard in ECE is what is urgently required across India. While Early Childhood Care is handled by the ministry of Women and Child Development, the states do not manage the same. Preschools thus create their own curriculum, or become ‘preparatory centres’ for standard one. The lack of a clear-cut policy on quality or curriculum means state governments are unable to regulate preschools. A common standard across India would ensure children get the uniform care and education they deserve.

D – Dropout rate
Despite the recognition of the importance of ECE by the Government of India, the challenges in implementation still remain. There are still substantial numbers of children not enrolled in preschools. Even in elementary education, while there is a significant rise in enrolments, the dropout rate continues to be a matter of concern, with dropouts being highest in the first two grades of elementary schooling.

E – Educational facility
While choosing an ideal early childhood care and educational facility, a parent must look for qualities like consideration, awareness, alertness and compassion. This age group is still not monitored under the Right to Education (RTE), however, owing to the fact that a healthy learning environment greatly impacts a child’s future, ECCE lead institutions have to create a moral compass for themselves. Early childhood educational facilities must instil in children the flexibility to adapt to changing technologies, while teachers must foster learning environments that encourage critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, communication, collaboration, global awareness, and social responsibility.

F – Franchisee models
The concept of private preschooling is fast developing in India. Franchisee models like Kidzee, Podar Jumbo Kids, Eurokids, Kangaroo Kids, Shemrock and Mother’s Pride have made a niche presence in the lucrative and imperative educational scenario. Many of them follow a unique blend of Montessori and Paige’s Early Childhood Learning models and continue to innovate their curricula year-after-year. The focus is on overall holistic development of the child.

G – Grassroots
Educational institutions and government bodies worldwide admit that even if a child from the marginal strata of society is exposed to proper ECCE facilities, over the next 20 years of such a child, his or her presence would have significantly contributed to the future of that country’s economy. The child population is a part of the wealth of a nation, if has been exposed to holistic education from the earliest years. This sees the need for investment in ECCE centres at the grassroots level.

H – Holistic development

Early childhood care and education is more than preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. ECCE has the possibility to nurture caring, capable and responsible future citizens.

I – Integrated Child Development Services

India supports perhaps the world’s largest public sector integrated programme for children below 6 years of age, known as the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). This programme was initiated in 1975 on a pilot basis in 35 administrative blocks of the country. A centrally sponsored scheme, the programme has evolved over time and has now been universalized. The services they provide include health, education and nutritional support, community mobilization and non-formal preschool education for 3- to 6-year-olds.

J – Justiciable right
The Government of India brought in a Constitutional Amendment to the original Article 45 which now states that “The State shall endeavour to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.” Section 11 was inserted in the RTE Act to address this gap, which directs the appropriate governments “to endeavour to provide preschool education to all children from 3 to 6 years of age so as to prepare them for primary education”. However, in order to make it a justiciable right, the National Law Commission (2015) submitted its report to the government recommending the need for legislation to make Early Childhood Development a fundamental right of every Indian child below 6 years. It also recommended that preschool education be made part of the RTE Act (2009).

K – Key phase
The earliest years of a child’s life are a key phase in the child’s development. These years determine a child’s survival and thriving in life, and lay the foundations for her/ his learning and development. It is during the early years that children develop the cognitive, physical, social and emotional skills that they need to succeed in life. Research in neuroscience provides strong evidence that the pace of development of the brain is most rapid in the earliest years of life, to the extent that 90 per cent of the brain’s growth has already occurred by the time a child is 6 years old. Research has further demonstrated that children’s early experiences influence brain development, by affecting the formation of the synapses or neural pathways of the brain. Early experiences thus have far-reaching effects on the overall development of the brain and on behaviour.

L – Life-skills
Promoting life skills in the preschool classroom is equally important. Mastering any kind of life skill takes time and experience. As young children learn in a safe environment to play cooperatively with others, or take care of their belongings, they build important skills and feel successful and valued in doing things independently.

M – Methods
Well-intentioned activities and engagement is important for any Early Childhood Care and Education programme. While specialised systems of teaching such as Montessori have formed the basis for many a preschool for decades, newer systems and philosophies like the Playway method, multiple intelligence mapping, and the Reggio Emilia approach of learning through experiencing nature have also been incorporated into the curriculum for children up to 6 years.

N – National Early Childhood Care and Education Policy
The government of India, in recent years, has taken steps to strengthen the policy framework for early childhood. The National Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy in 2013, and the National Curriculum Framework and Quality Standards provide a comprehensive framework for promoting access, equity and quality in ECCE. State governments have designed their own curricula in the light of this national framework.

O – Outcomes
Investments in high quality interventions for young children are thought to be cost effective ways of improving outcomes both for individual children, especially in the case of vulnerable or disadvantaged children, and for society as a whole. Compelling evidence in developing countries shows that almost 215 million children below the age of 5 have not achieved their full potential due to adverse early experiences and are at risk of developmental delays and school failure. Long-term follow-up of children from birth shows that growth failure in the first 2 years of life has harmful effects on adult health and human capital, including chronic disease, and lower educational attainment and adult earning.

P – Primary Grades
Learning assessments show that literacy skills are poor in early primary grades. This shows the importance of helping children, particularly from first generation families, to develop adequate academic and social preparedness for formal schooling through a good quality ECE programme, in order for them to make a smooth transition. Evidence indicates that Early Childhood Education (ECE) programmes can “change the development trajectory of children by the time of entering school”.

Q – Quality
The benefits from Early Childhood Education accrue only if the quality of the programme is ensured in terms of standards related to qualified teachers, a validated and developmentally appropriate curriculum, parental involvement, and utilization of feedback from assessments. Good quality ECE programmes have a strong track record of ensuring smooth transition from home/preschool to school. They facilitate adjustment in school, reduce dropout and retention at initial stages and improve learning achievements, thus narrowing inequalities in education.

R – Readiness
According to the EFA Global Monitoring Report (2007), the consensus from research is that school readiness encompasses development in five distinct but interconnected domains – physical wellbeing and motor development, social and emotional development, approach to learning/language development, cognitive development, and general knowledge.

S – Strictly informal
In terms of quality and curriculum for ECE, the National ECCE Policy (2013) lays down some priority areas for children, which include early stimulation experiences for children below 3 years; developmentally appropriate, play-based preschool education for the age group of 3 to 6 years; and a structured school readiness component for 5- to 6-year-olds. Even prior to this policy, the National Policy on Education (1986) clearly discouraged any formal instruction of the 3R’s at this early stage of education and emphasized strictly informal play-based learning. The National Curriculum Framework (2013) defined age-specific curricular objectives for each of the subgroups within the under-six age range and laid out the basic principles of providing age-appropriate, play-based, integrated, experiential, contextual and inclusive teaching-learning experiences.

T – Trained teachers
Meaningful Early Childhood Education cannot be delivered without a battery of well trained teachers. Teachers’ training programmes need to comprise international best practices and ways and means to adapt them in schools. In India, there is no legal framework that specifies requirements and standards of ECCE teacher training programmes; instead various education channels provide different types of training.

U – UNESCO
In the words of UNESCO, “Early childhood care and education is more than a preparatory stage assisting the child’s transition to formal schooling. It places emphasis on developing the whole child – attending to his or her social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs – to establish a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.”

V – Varying frameworks

The National Early Childhood Care and Education policy led to the development of state level curricula for ECCE across states, but implementation has been uneven due to variations in state priorities and capacities. The policy recommends institutionalization of a regulatory and accreditation framework for quality, particularly for the private sector, but this has not yet been initiated.

W – Willing parents

Parental involvement plays a vital role in enhancing literacy skills and development of children even more so when their involvement begins in the cradle and extends to the early childhood education centre. Parents are the prime educators until the child attends nursery or starts school and remain a major influence on their children’s learning through preschool period. When parents get involved, children’s schooling is affected through their acquisition of knowledge, skills and an increased sense of confidence that they can succeed in school. There is a need to educate parents regarding preschool education as they might not have a clear idea regarding the purpose of Early Childhood Education and its vital role in preschool years.

Y – Yawning gap
Currently around 60% of children below 6 years of age do not avail of any preschool education in the country. In a country as diverse and large as India, achieving universal access is not an easy task. The sheer magnitude in terms of numbers is a major dimension of the problem. The Eleventh Plan has recommended setting up of one ECCE centre for every 40 children in the proximity of approximately 300 people. The yawning gap in provision is estimated to be almost 1.1 million, indicating a requirement of approximately 53 percent of institutions.

Z – Zero to five
From the age of zero to five years, healthy positive reinforcement and a happy environment makes a huge impact on the overall development of a child. Such experiences affect all aspects of their development – physical, intellectual, socio-emotional and spiritual. The early years are the brain development years, when attention should be given to a child’s health, nutrition, stimulation, language and emotional development.

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Education

India Loves its Teachers, Just Not Enough to Pay Them: India Today Reports

Published

1 week ago

September 29, 2025

Team ScooNews

India Loves its Teachers, Just Not Enough to Pay Them: India Today Reports

A recent report by India Today has put the spotlight on the deep contradictions in how India treats its teachers. While the profession is revered in public discourse and celebrated in ceremonies, the reality of poor pay, massive vacancies, and crushing workloads threatens the future of quality education in the country.

The report, authored by Megha Chaturvedi, shares the story of a government school teacher in rural Bihar who manages five grades, multiple subjects, administrative duties, and a long commute — all for a monthly pay of just ₹12,000. It is a picture that repeats across India, where respect is high but reward is missing.

Respect vs Pay

According to UDISE+ 2024–25 data, India’s teaching workforce has crossed 1 crore, with women making up 54.2%. Yet, over 1 million teaching posts remain vacant, concentrated in states like Uttar Pradesh (3.2 lakh) and Bihar (2.2 lakh). More than 1 lakh schools still run with just a single teacher, and some rural institutions report zero enrolment.

Teacher salaries are shockingly unequal. Permanent government teachers may earn ₹35,000 to ₹60,000 per month with benefits, but guest or contractual teachers often earn between ₹6,500 and ₹12,500, with delays stretching into months. Even in metro private schools, where parents pay lakhs in annual fees, teachers may take home just 2–10% of that amount.

International comparisons highlight the gap further. India ranks among the top 10 nations for respect towards teachers, yet falls to the bottom when it comes to pay and working conditions.

The Consequences

Low pay and insecure contracts drive talented graduates away from teaching. Those who stay face burnout from handling multiple grades or excessive administrative duties. Morale suffers when salaries are delayed, creating inequality between well-paid urban private school teachers and struggling rural counterparts. The result is a two-tiered system where students’ learning is directly compromised.

Policy Moves

Some states have taken steps. Karnataka recently raised guest teacher pay to ₹12,000–₹12,500, though teachers demand at least ₹30,000. Bihar and West Bengal have launched recruitment drives to fill thousands of vacancies. But reforms remain piecemeal. The India Today report makes it clear that modest hikes are not enough to match workload or cost of living, and insecurity continues to define contractual positions.

What Needs to Change

India may call its teachers “gurus” but without dignified salaries, stability, and recognition, the profession risks becoming even less attractive to young graduates. For education to thrive, teaching must be seen as a rewarding and respected career. ScooNews has been consistently working to spotlight teacher voices and celebrate educators who innovate against the odds. Yet change cannot come from media or policy alone. We need educators themselves to step up and demand better, and institutions to stop treating education as a business rather than a public service.

A practical way forward would include setting a national minimum pay scale of at least ₹30,000 per month for all full-time teachers, clearing the backlog of 1 million vacancies within the next three years, and ensuring strict timelines for salary disbursement. Governments and boards must invest at least 6% of GDP into education as repeatedly recommended, with a clear allocation for teacher training, well-being, and incentives. Schools must commit a fixed percentage of fee revenue directly to teacher salaries, while also offering pathways for career growth through research, leadership roles, and international exposure.

Teaching is perhaps the most undervalued profession in the nation today. If India is to build a future-ready generation, it must invest in its teachers with the same seriousness it reserves for infrastructure or defence. Respect in words is not enough. Teachers must be valued in pay, dignity, and opportunity.

You can read the full report here.

Education

UK and US Tighten Student Visas: What Indian Schools and Students Must Know

Published

4 weeks ago

September 11, 2025

Namita Mehta

As the UK and US impose stricter student visa rules, Namita Mehta, President of The Red Pen, weighs in on alternatives, sharing her opinion on planning and how schools can guide families. (Image- Pexels/Ekaterina Belinskaya)

The tightening of student visa policies in the US and UK has created understandable anxiety among Indian families.

In the UK, the Graduate Route visa may be reduced from two years to 18 months for undergraduates and master’s graduates, while doctoral students may keep three years. Most taught master’s students can no longer bring dependents, the country has raised proof of funds by over 11%, moved to digital e-visas and tightened university compliance.

The US has proposed limiting the F-1 visa to a fixed four-year term, requiring extensions for longer programmes such as PhDs. Interview waivers have been eliminated, and third-country applications are no longer permitted. Backlogs at Indian consulates have worsened, and a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee will soon add to costs.

While complex, these changes reflect a global trend: governments are balancing immigration management with continued student flows. For Indian applicants, this means approaching the process with a sharper focus and stronger preparation.

What these changes mean for Indian students

The proposed cut of the Graduate Route visa to 18 months may cause concern, but this timeframe is enough to build career foundations, especially for students who engage early with employers. Restrictions on dependants may deter older applicants, but younger students will still find the UK attractive. The move to digital e-visas actually simplifies the verification process, while higher proof of funds requirements will require earlier financial planning. Additionally, English language changes should not affect Indian applicants, who already meet or exceed the required standards.

In the US, the proposed four-year F-1 limit introduces uncertainty for PhD students; yet, the country still offers unmatched academic choices, world-class research opportunities, and globally valued degrees. The loss of interview waivers, the ban on third-country applications and the new fee add costs and delays, but with early planning and budgeting, these hurdles are manageable. For many families, the academic ecosystem, extensive networks and long-term career benefits of a US education outweigh the administrative challenges.

How admissions counsellors and schools can guide students

Schools and counsellors now have a greater responsibility. Planning must begin early, whether preparing for tests, selecting courses or booking visa appointments, so backlogs and rule changes cause less disruption. Financial planning is equally critical, as higher UK proof of funds and new US fees make it essential to understand costs well in advance. Counsellors should also help students think long term, making strategic academic and career choices while exploring alternatives beyond the US and UK. With preparation and broad awareness, families can navigate uncertainty without losing sight of their goals.

Looking beyond the US and UK

These changes should not deter Indian families from considering the US or UK. Both remain prestigious destinations with world-class academic ecosystems. At the same time, I encourage families to keep alternatives in mind. Canada, Ireland, Australia and parts of Europe offer attractive post-study work options, while Singapore, Japan and the UAE are emerging as strong contenders closer to home.

In fact, at The Red Pen, pre-COVID, we saw families looking at an average of two destinations. This has now moved to 3.2. Keeping options open is a good idea.

Students can also explore new-age Indian universities such as Ashoka, Krea, Plaksha, FLAME and Jindal, which offer programmes on par with international standards. In addition, 12 global universities are opening campuses in India. While Deakin University, Wollongong University and the University of Southampton are already established, new entrants from 2026 include the Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Liverpool, Queen’s University Belfast, Coventry University, University of York, University of Western Australia, University of Aberdeen, Istituto Europeo di Design and Western Sydney University.

While tighter visa rules demand careful planning, expert guidance ensures that international education remains firmly within reach.

This article is authored by-

Namita Mehta- President and Partner, The Red Pen

Namita drives business growth and global partnerships at The Red Pen, representing the firm at international education forums and building key alliances, including a landmark collaboration with U.S. News & World Report. Recognised among BW Education’s 40 Under 40 and The PIE’s 50 Voices in Leadership, she has twice been shortlisted for the HerRising Awards. Namita has judged the PIE Education Awards, spoken at HSBC, Ashoka University, IC3 and Master’s Union, and contributed to leading publications such as Economic Times, Mint, Hindustan Times and The PIE News. She also serves on the advisory board of The Outreach Collective.

Education

International Literacy Day 2025: Beyond Reading and Writing in the Digital Era

Published

4 weeks ago

September 8, 2025

Dhruv Chhabra

On International Literacy Day 2025, understanding digital literacy, responsibility, and civic sense are vital. (AI generated representational image)

“Education is not only the birthright of every human being but also the weapon of social change.”

Dr B. R. Ambedkar’s words carry even more weight today as we celebrate International Literacy Day 2025. This year’s theme, “Promoting literacy in the digital era,” reminds us that literacy no longer begins and ends with pen and paper.

A Journey Worth Remembering

India’s literacy story is one of resilience. In 1951, only 16 out of every 100 Indians could read and write. By 2022, that number had climbed to 77.7 per cent. The Right to Education Act of 2009 opened the doors of schools to millions who might otherwise have been left behind. Yet numbers alone do not tell the full story. Getting children into classrooms was only the first battle. The bigger challenge lies in what and how they learn.

Literacy in the Age of Screens

In a world where screens dominate, literacy now means much more than decoding text. It is about being able to access, understand, evaluate, and create digital content in safe and responsible ways. A teenager scrolling endlessly on social media might look “digitally literate,” but true literacy asks whether that teenager can spot a fake news story, respond appropriately to cyberbullying, or understand that their digital footprint will outlive their mood.

The dangers are real. A BBC feature this year explained how adolescence itself makes young people more vulnerable to online manipulation because their brains are wired for risk-taking and peer approval. Platforms exploit these vulnerabilities with algorithms that feed them echo chambers of extreme views and endless scrolling loops. What looks like harmless entertainment often becomes a powerful shaper of values and identities.

At the same time, teenagers are seeking comfort in unexpected places. An ETV Bharat report revealed that many Indian students now turn to AI chatbots for emotional support. Experts worry that without proper guidance, children may start to trust technology more than people, with little understanding of how these systems work or what agendas they may carry. Digital literacy, therefore, is not simply about knowing how to use a device but about learning how to navigate relationships, trust, and choices in a digital-first world.

The Missing Lessons

Alongside digital literacy, we are also missing some of the most practical lessons of life. An India Today feature pointed out that while our students can solve complex equations, very few know how to calculate tax, understand savings, or even read the fine print of a bank loan. In an age of instant loans and digital payment apps, this lack of financial literacy is dangerous. Children should be learning how to protect themselves from online scams, how to recognise manipulative advertisements, and how to make decisions that safeguard their futures.

The truth is, literacy today is incomplete without responsibility. Children may be skilled at clicking, posting, or streaming, but if they do not know what to believe, what to share, and what to ignore, they are vulnerable. Civic sense must become part of the digital literacy package. How we behave online is not separate from who we are as citizens. Words can wound, misinformation can destabilise, and silence in the face of bullying can be as harmful as participation.

For India to truly lead in the digital era, we must expand our vision of education. That means increasing education budgets, investing in teacher training, and ensuring that technology-enabled learning does not just deliver content but builds character. It also means recognising that the skills of tomorrow include empathy, resilience, financial wisdom, and civic responsibility.

Ambedkar reminded us that education is the most powerful weapon of social change. In 2025, that weapon is not only the ability to read books but the ability to read the world. Literacy is about survival, about belonging, and about preparing our children not just to live in the digital era but to shape it responsibly.

International Literacy Day should remind us that while we have come far since 1951, the journey is far from over. The future depends on whether we can teach the next generation not only to read and write, but also to choose wisely, live responsibly, and stand tall as citizens of a digital world.

Education

Beyond the Numbers: Reading Between the Lines of UDISE+ 2024–25

Published

1 month ago

August 29, 2025

Dhruv Chhabra

The UDISE+ 2024–25 report highlights progress in teachers, dropouts, and infrastructure, but deeper challenges in quality, access, and inclusion remain. (AI generated image for representational purposes)

The Ministry of Education’s latest Unified District Information System for Education Plus (UDISE+) 2024–25 report offers an important snapshot of India’s school education. The numbers reveal progress across teachers, enrolments, infrastructure, and gender representation. But as with any large-scale dataset, the fuller story emerges when these achievements are held against persistent challenges on the ground.

Key Improvements Highlighted in the Report

Teachers and Student Ratios

For the first time, India has crossed the one crore mark in the number of teachers. From 94.8 lakh in 2022–23 to over 1.01 crore in 2024–25, the increase represents a 6.7% rise within two years. The Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) too has improved sharply, now standing at 10 for the foundational stage, 13 at the preparatory level, 17 in middle school, and 21 in secondary. All of these are comfortably better than NEP 2020’s recommendation of 30:1, suggesting children now have more access to individual attention.

Dropouts and Retention

Dropout rates have fallen across the board. At the preparatory stage, they are down to 2.3%; in middle school to 3.5%; and in secondary to 8.2%. Retention, meanwhile, has climbed, with 92.4% of students staying on through the preparatory stage, 82.8% at middle, and 47.2% at secondary—supported by the increase in schools offering higher grades.

Transition and Enrolment

More children are continuing their education without breaks. Transition from foundational to preparatory is up to 98.6%, and from middle to secondary to 86.6%. Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) has also risen, with secondary education seeing an uptick from 66.5% to 68.5%.

Infrastructure Growth

Infrastructure remains a bright spot. Over 93% of schools now have electricity, 99% provide safe drinking water, and 97% are equipped with girls’ toilets. Computer access has grown to 64.7%, internet access to 63.5%, and more than half of schools now have ramps and handrails, improving accessibility.

Gender Representation

Representation of women in teaching has crossed 54%, and girls’ enrolment has edged up to 48.3%, showing slow but steady progress towards gender parity.

Where the Numbers Need Context

While the report reflects genuine gains, the full picture requires a closer look at what these numbers mean in practice.

Teachers: Quantity vs Quality

Crossing the one-crore milestone is historic. Yet reports continue to highlight shortages in subject specialists and concerns about teacher training. A strong student-teacher ratio is valuable only if classrooms are led by well-prepared, motivated educators.

Dropouts: Regional Gaps Persist

The steady fall in dropout rates is promising, but averages mask uneven realities. States like Bihar still struggle with alarming dropout figures, particularly among girls and marginalised communities. National averages hide state-level realities.

Access Without Schools

It is encouraging to see single-teacher and zero-enrolment schools on the decline. However, the deeper problem isn’t just these schools but the absence of schools altogether in thousands of villages. Maharashtra alone has over 8,000 villages without schools. That’s not a statistic you’ll find in the UDISE+ summary, but it matters when we talk about access.

Digital Infrastructure: From Presence to Practice

Computer and internet access are on the rise, yet, other surveys suggest that many of these facilities remain underused, serving as placeholders for inspections rather than as tools for learning. Less than a quarter of India’s 1.47 million schools have smart classrooms. Digital literacy among students and teachers is patchy at best. So while infrastructure is expanding, its integration into actual pedagogy lags far behind.

Inclusion: Beyond Ramps

Ramps and handrails are a welcome start, but inclusion for children with disabilities requires much more. How many schools have accessible toilets, special educators, or learning aids for children with disabilities? And the bigger question: how many children with disabilities are actually enrolled and attending school regularly? Current data rarely tells us this.

Gender: Representation Without Leadership

Girls’ enrolment is up slightly to 48.3%. Female teachers now account for 54.2% of the workforce. Encouraging signs, yes. But leadership remains a male stronghold. Across higher education, only about 9.5% of institutions in India are led by women. At the school level too, women remain underrepresented in principal and leadership roles. Representation in classrooms is improving; representation in decision-making is not.

Reading the Report Holistically

The UDISE+ 2024–25 findings point to a system that is steadily improving access, retention, and infrastructure. But progress cannot be measured in isolation. Numbers must be matched with quality, access must be inclusive, and representation must extend to leadership. A fuller picture of Indian education comes not from rose-tinted fragments but from an honest balance of achievements and unfinished work.

Edutainment

Weaving Social-Emotional Learning into the Curriculum

Published

1 month ago

August 28, 2025

Team ScooNews

Embedding SEL into lessons prepares students for life beyond exams. (This is an AI-generated image used for representational purposes)

When we think of school learning, the first things that come to mind are math equations, science experiments, history timelines, and grammar rules. But education isn’t only about academic skills—it’s also about preparing students for life. This is where Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) steps in, transforming classrooms into spaces that nurture not just minds, but hearts.

What is Social-Emotional Learning?

Social-Emotional Learning is the process through which students acquire and apply skills to:

Understand and manage emotions
Build healthy relationships
Show empathy for others
Make responsible decisions
Set and achieve positive goals

In simpler terms, SEL is about helping students become self-aware, emotionally intelligent, and socially responsible.

Why Should SEL Be Part of the Curriculum?

For decades, education focused on the “3 Rs” – reading, writing, and arithmetic. Today, we know that EQ (Emotional Quotient) can be just as important as IQ. Studies show that integrating SEL into the curriculum leads to:

Improved academic performance
Reduced stress and anxiety
Fewer behavioural issues
Stronger peer relationships
Better conflict-resolution skills

A student who learns how to manage frustration or work well in a team is more likely to thrive both inside and outside the classroom.

How SEL Fits into Different Subjects

Language and Literature – Discussing characters’ feelings in a story builds empathy and perspective-taking.
Science – Group experiments encourage collaboration and respectful communication.
Mathematics – Problem-solving in pairs or teams fosters patience and perseverance.
Social Studies – Exploring diverse cultures promotes acceptance and respect.

Practical Ways to Embed SEL into Curriculum

Morning check-ins: A quick emotional “temperature check” helps teachers understand students’ moods.
Role-play activities: Encourage students to act out scenarios that require empathy or problem-solving.
Collaborative projects: Promote teamwork, negotiation, and leadership skills.
Mindfulness breaks: Simple breathing exercises can improve focus and emotional balance.

When SEL is woven into lesson plans, we move from an education system that simply imparts knowledge to one that shapes compassionate, resilient, and adaptable individuals. In a world that is constantly changing, these life skills are not optional—they are essential.

Final Sum-Up

Social-Emotional Learning doesn’t replace academic learning; it enriches it. By combining books with empathy, logic with kindness, and grades with grit, we can prepare students not just for exams, but for life.

This article is authored by-

Ranjith P C, Head- Curriculum Excellence, TVS Education

Education

Education with Purpose: Shaping Responsible Learners for a Better Tomorrow

Published

1 month ago

August 26, 2025

Shishir Jaipuria

Education must go beyond grades. Shishir Jaipuria writes on skills, values, AI, NEP 2020, and teacher empowerment to shape responsible learners for tomorrow.

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

Education

Empathy as a 21st-Century Competency: Developing Emotional Intelligence among Students

Published

1 month ago

August 25, 2025

Dr. Silpi Sahoo

Explore how schools can nurture empathy from early childhood to young adulthood.

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)

Education

Math Meets Machine: How AI Is Revolutionising Classroom Learning

Published

2 months ago

August 12, 2025

Team ScooNews

AI is redefining Maths as a subject in our classrooms (Image Source- Pexels/Google DeepMind)

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

Education

Nirvaan Birla on Why Social Media Needs a Rethink in Today’s Classrooms

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2025

Team ScooNews

Nirvaan Birla, Founder, Birla Open Minds urges a rethink on social media in classrooms

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.

Education

Teaching Privilege: Why It Belongs in Every Classroom

Published

2 months ago

July 25, 2025

Dhruv Chhabra

Why students must learn to recognise privilege in school—and how that awareness can build empathy, not guilt. (Representational AI Image)

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.