Knowledge
Effective teacher training makes all the difference to students’ learning outcomes
It is an acknowledged fact that no education system in the world has excelled without making a significant investment in building a cadre of quality teachers. Attention is shifting from quantity – ensuring all children are in school – to providing quality education.
The long-neglected realm of teacher training is finally getting the attention it deserves, even if partially motivated by the threat of termination. Come August 2019, all teachers who lack the minimum qualifications mandated under the Right To Education Act, 2009, will be barred from continuing in service. That’s as far as certification goes. The real relevance of teacher training goes much deeper. It is an acknowledged fact that no education system in the world has excelled without making a significant investment in building a cadre of quality teachers. Attention is shifting from quantity – ensuring all children are in school – to providing quality education. And it is this weak link in the Indian education system that needs to be improved, sooner rather than later.
With teacher training often considered important only for procuring a job, quality invariably suffers. If teacher training is to be an ongoing process – to improve the quality of teachers, and thus of students – on whom does the onus lie for the effective training of our teachers? And what are the resources best recommended by educators to effectively train teachers? Read on for an assessment by industry leaders…
Need of the Hour
Nisha Rana, Principal, BRCM Public School, Bhiwani
“Keeping in mind the modern pedagogy and responsibility of a teacher today, it is imperative that the teachers should have the requisite qualification to be a teacher,” says Nisha Rana, Principal, BRCM Public School, Bhiwani. “Teaching qualifications typically involve subject matter expertise, psychological awareness and classroom management. To provide teachers with the greatest chance of success, they need to have completed a teacher preparation program that provides them with knowledge, experience, and guidance. When this does not happen, we not only risk teachers leaving the profession quickly, but more importantly, we risk the education of entire classes of students. With the changing scenario, there is a lot of change in the curriculum and teaching techniques. The day-to-day innovation in technology has tremendously affected the teaching techniques and become the integral part of teaching. Students deserve the best we can offer them. We definitely want those with a natural aptitude to go into teaching, but that aptitude needs to be refined and developed through proper training. I feel the April 2019 deadline is a long-due corrective remedy and teacher training is finally getting its due.”
Shalini Nambiar, Vice President, GEMS Education
“The framing of the New Education Policy (NEP) provides us with an opportunity to review and redesign the current teacher education programmes,” affirms Shalini Nambiar, Vice President, GEMS Education. “Teachers need to be viewed as professionals who require multiple skills to do their job, and accordingly professional standards need to be built into all teacher education programmes. These programmes must focus both on building an essential knowledge base, as well as skill sets required for making a difference in the classroom. Importantly, they must locate the professional development of teachers within the larger socio-cultural, economic and political context of contemporary India. Teachers need to be made more accountable through enhanced involvement of the school management committees, recognizing the need for supportive supervision and incentives to ensure teacher performance and accountability.”
Seema Handa, Director, Eklavya School, Jalandhar
“Not just teacher training, most professions require on-going updation of knowledge and skill,” vouches Seema Handa, Director, Eklavya School, Jalandhar. “It is encouraging that finally attention is being focused on teacher training. Highly trained teachers with regular up-skilling will help the Indian education system to finally catch up with the rest of the world, somewhat like we have in the field of digital and internet technology.”
Harpreet Randhawa, Director, VInspire Training & Consultancy Pvt Ltd
Harpreet Randhawa, Director, VInspire Training & Consultancy Pvt Ltd adds, “Teachers who do not fulfil the minimum qualifications mandated are given the appropriate opportunity to undergo upgradation of qualification along with training and skills development. With the right approach, appropriate need analysis, and fixing of timelines, teacher training will get its overdue recognition.”
Deeper Relevance
Fatema Agarkar, Co-founder, KA EduAssociates
Beyond the need for certification, teacher training has a deeper relevance. As Fatema Agarkar, Co-founder, KA EduAssociates, one of the most sought after teacher training institutes for its skill-based and customised training to cater to 21st century learning, explains it, “As a nation, we need to recognise that schools are responsible for shaping our future as these children eventually take their place in the world and will be leading decisions that may affect us economically or politically. So those shaping their world today, simply need to be highly capable of managing children and their individual needs – get them to create and ideate more so that they can think of solutions for problems that exist today. Qualifications alone do not define this – qualifications give you a base, but there is a lot of skilling required thereafter and in a sustained manner to ensure that teachers cope with a changing world and its competitive demands. So in a way, this corrective step (and I won’t get drawn into a debate of late or early because I have more pressing concerns) is one way of looking at addressing the current situation that warrants better teaching learning processes.”
Fatema affirms that she has interacted with several teachers as part of various NGO volunteering programs, who are perhaps more inspiring than qualified and experienced teachers simply because their passion to make it simpler and decode the subject is far greater than the need to deliver facts or simply test children. “They are looking for that spark in the child and working towards it. So personally, I believe that skilling a teacher, sustained teacher training is what I am more excited about and this is with or without qualifications.”
Quality Improvement
“At the crux of the education system is the most important person – the ‘Teacher’, who is also the most neglected person in our system,” points out Shalini Nambiar. “People are spending crores to build a great school, with fancy building but the amount of funds allocated to teachers is peanuts. First and foremost to attract good quality teachers one needs to pay them well; after all, if we pay peanuts we will only get monkeys. The framing of the New Education Policy (NEP) provides us with an opportunity to review and redesign the current teacher education programmes. Teachers need to be viewed as professionals who require multiple skills to do their job, and accordingly professional standards need to be built into all teacher education programmes. These programmes must focus both on building an essential knowledge base, as well as skill sets required for making a difference in the classroom. Importantly, they must locate the professional development of teachers within the larger socio-cultural, economic and political context of contemporary India.” She believes teachers need to be made more accountable through enhanced involvement of the school management committees, recognizing the need for supportive supervision and incentives to ensure teacher performance and accountability.
Savita Venkat, Chief Development Officer, Bombay Cambridge International School
Savita Venkat, Chief Development Officer, Bombay Cambridge International School, Andheri (W), adds, “Teacher training, teacher upgradation programmes, and teacher credibility is to be tested and done periodically. We need to establish a clear cut recruitment policy with competency matrix, have an almanac for teacher training. The area of training is confirmed at the time of yearly appraisal where gap and growth can be identified and the institution organizes training and upgradation in these programmes. Having a monitoring and supervision plan in place will surely help in gathering quality teachers.”
An Ongoing Process
R K Ranavat, Principal, Oxford International School, Rajkot
According to R K Ranavat, Principal, Oxford International School, Rajkot, the government’s NEP makes it critical to focus on teachers and teacher education to ensure quality education. “Teachers need to be made more accountable through enhanced involvement of the school management committees, recognising the need for supportive supervision and incentives to ensure teacher performance and accountability, as well as use of technology to monitor teacher attendance and curb absenteeism. New teachers have many challenges that they face each day. Teacher training helps prepare new teachers for these challenges. While teacher training and student teaching won't completely prepare new teachers for every issue they will face, it can help them feel more confident about many common problems that arise for teachers each day. Without this background, teachers might feel like failures and eventually give up,” he opines.
Anuradha Govind, Principal, J M International School, Dwarka
“It’s a teacher who builds the nation. It’s the cadre of transformational teachers who have the power to change the outlook, thought process and character of an entire generation of our young citizens and therefore it’s not just our responsibility but an inevitable necessity for us to invest in building innovative teachers, productive teaching, holistic curricula and child-centered schools,” avers Anuradha Govind, Principal, J M International School, Dwarka. “The education system of our country needs loads of accountability and tons of integrity with the vision for nurturing 21st century skills in our children. For that we need to break free of conventions and think afresh. No education system in the world has excelled without making a significant investment in building a cadre of quality teachers, is a fact. But before investing, we also need to first ensure what we understand by ‘Quality’. We must begin with understanding our aims for our children. What kind of citizens do we want to produce? To make this possible what kind of knowledge and skills should our children possess? For such 21st century knowledge and skills, what kind of curricula, learning resources and teaching-learning methods will be required? What kind of wisdom, proficiency, ability, skills, talents, personality, value-systems, and knowledge base do we need in a teacher who could be able to make all our children happily acquire all of that? We need to keep in mind our goals and redesign our vision, education system, curricula, learning resources, learning environment, methods of teaching and assessment with a shift from ‘teaching’ to ‘learning’, from ‘marks’ to ‘excellence’, from ‘degree’ to ‘ability’, in order to ‘rectify’ this ‘weak link’ in education and develop some awesome teachers who would develop an amazingly skilled sensitive, responsible and dignified generation of 21st century global citizens.”
Taking Onus
Anuradha Govind likens it to a bitter pill to swallow, when she maintains that most of the teacher training courses like and B.Ed, NTT and many of the institutions which offer them, are not being able to play a role bigger than offering a certification for a job. “Sadly, there is hardly any vision for anything other than some redundant text to be crammed and writing a set of stereotypical exam, which is nowhere about any kind of ‘productive’ learning, excellence or ability to be the teacher who will produce a generation of thinkers and problem solvers with all round personalities.” The truth, she says, is that most of the ‘eligible’ degree holders do not enter the education arena with an ability, intent and passion to make a difference. “Let’s admit the fact that the outlook mostly is towards ‘a job of convenience’; nowhere close to a ‘mission to transform lives’. The onus for this lies on our entire system and everyone who is a part of this machinery,” she avers. “We have been so far failing to attract the right kind of talent towards a career in teaching. We have not been able to give the teaching profession a sought after and desirable status in the minds of our people like that of engineering, medicine and many others. We, on an urgent basis, need to restructure our teacher training programmes and the constant learning, ongoing training, brain-storming, and motivation are as vital to the quality of education as is oxygen for living.” Now that is an indication of the passion needed to take onus and take it forward dynamically!
Dr Swati Popat Vats, President – Podar Education Network
Dr Swati Popat Vats, President – Podar Education Network believes it is the schools that should take on the responsibility for conducting refresher courses for teachers. “There is so much changing in global education trends that schools must ensure that their teachers are up to date with latest research and practices. In IB board accreditation process they check what trainings the staff has undergone in the last few years, similarly the other boards should make it a mandatory point in their accreditation process.”
Seema Handa avers that with the tech revolution already in place, cost and availability of tech is no longer the major issue. “India’s challenge remains its huge numbers! Pockets of excellence exist but to scale up in a vast country like India with its geographical and demographical diversity, requires both government and individual endeavor,” she points out. “Schools-Teachers-Parents are engaged in the same enterprise; that of educating young children. This triangle is duly supported by the government, non-government, public and private enterprises. So the onus lies on all of us – the government, society at large, the schools, and most importantly on the parents. As long as the parents remain focused on premium brands or infrastructure, the quality of teachers and the quality of education will continue to suffer. As soon as the focus shifts to the quality of education being imparted in a school, we shall see a major upswing in the quality of teachers and hence their teaching,” she states, adding, “At the same time, the government and policy makers need to give direction to the change being sought.”
“As a decision maker in school, it is critical to take stock of the situation and know your strengths and challenges and create a road map ahead for what the priorities are,” maintains Fatema Agarkar. She believes that the responsibility cannot rest solely on the shoulders of the management. “Teachers must take responsibilities independently to upskill and upgrade themselves which shows commitment to your passion too. This partnership of organisation and self may get quicker results that a one sided approach and ultimately, whether you part of the management or a teacher, there is an unwritten rule in the education code of the conduct – and that is we owe it to that unassuming child to deliver content is the best and most effective way possible. Hence, it is everyone's responsibility.”
The Way Forward
Fatema Agarkar recommends “a combination of online and face to face sessions, hands-on case study discussions, exposure to an alternative industry or industries as grounds for learning how to manage time etc.” She adds, “Social media makes it so easy to partner other educators via closed and open books to get help in case you are stuck with a problem etc. Time spent in research and how to research effectively will be an important resource tool. Teachers need to be trained by experienced trainers who combine best practices and research, hands-on, implementable strategies and their own personal expertise of being in a classroom. The quality and flexibility of the trainer makes all the difference as teachers need to know how to apply the knowledge amassed in the context of their classrooms.”
As Dr Swati Popat Vats puts it, “Teachers require a minimum qualification that prepares them to teach their subject matter, prepares them about understanding children and also supports them to understand lesson and curriculum planning and implementation with different types of learners in the classroom. Also we do include special education but are our teachers really equipped to deal with all kinds of learning delays and difficulties and gifted and talented children in the class? It is time we really respected our teachers and it can be done with the following-
1. Revamp the present B.Ed. program so that globally relevant practices like brain research, dealing with challenging behavior, life skills are all included.
2. Ensure that teachers undergo a refresher course every two years.
3. Keep a minimum wage benchmark for both government and private schools.
4. Teachers should not be allowed to take tuitions unless mandated for a child by a special educator. It is commercialization of teaching that has brought down the standards in the classroom and the respect value in parents and society for teachers.
5. Teachers to be not used for other government related work like elections etc.
6. Teachers to be given minimum facilities like free travel, free medical and access to computers and internet and library for their research and curriculum planning
Harpreet Randhawa advocates a four-pronged approach – “Teachers active in the profession should undergo face to face soft skills and behavioural skills training as we do in other professions. B.Ed/ M.Ed also needs to be upgraded, and aptitude tests and assessments made mandatory. Teacher training institutes by the government should be instituted and the right people be selected to run and implement the courses. Finally, academicians should be involved to ensure the quality is maintained more than the promoters. I do understand it is the number game and a business model without doubt, but like health sector, education sector needs to be secured by the government for coming generation to produce teachers. Else we shall have robots programmed to teach and who knows an applied version of e-schooling would be developed wherein you need no school, no teacher and institutions are run remotely!”
“Access to technology can be a great equalizer,” believes Seema Handa. “With government support, linked with private enterprise, pedagogy and best practices from around the world can be adapted and implemented in the Indian context. Identifying the ground-breaking work already being done in certain pockets of India and bringing it mainstream will be another resource which can be tapped. We must tap into India’s huge reservoir of traditional wisdom and value-based education system, and reinvent the present education system, making it relevant in the 21st century.”
According to Shalini Nambiar, a “well-developed PD programme with internal and external resources is key. Each teacher must observe at least two of her co-workers classes per week. Internal trainings are most effective as the school knows its needs and can plan individualized programmes to effectively train the teachers.”
Key resources, according to Savita Venkat, would be the Cambridge teaching and learning diploma for teachers, HUB trainers for education, subject specific training by authors and subject experts, IBDP teacher training, teacher training conducted by NCERT and ICSE boards as well as enrichment programmes by the British Council.
Dr Ranavat recommends approaching the challenge of poor quality education and growing shortage of teachers by connecting qualified teachers to develop their own teaching practice to inspire and empower communities of teachers around the world. “Our teacher training should lead teachers through cycles of workshops, observations and coaching to enable them to become self-reflectors and continuously improve their own teaching and encourage colleagues to do the same.”
Teaching and learning go hand in hand, which makes it necessary for the schools to have teacher training modules which are well knit in the curriculum and should cater to the demands of teaching fraternity which may arise during the teaching learning process, opines Nisha Rana. “A good teacher training program should be like a support for teachers to sharpen their tools as and when required. It is important that schools recognize the importance of well-structured teacher development programs which are in tandem with the teaching learning requirements of the schools. Teacher development programs should be given their due importance in the curriculum as they have a great role to play in the students’ performance and development. There is also great need to understand and research various models for the same and simultaneously let them voice out their requirements to enable better teaching learning practices.” Among the measures she recommends are web based resources, regular training sessions to hone computer skills, frequent in-house motivational workshops to be conducted by head and senior teachers, regular counselling sessions by motivational experts and subject experts, proper annual assessment of all teachers, and provision of opportunity given to teachers for their self-improvement.
Dr Swati also recommends that teachers invest in their own training. “Teachers should read books written by educators like Alfie Kohn, John Holt; become members of teacher discussion groups and forums; connect with educators on LinkedIn and Facebook; read essential blogs by educators; invest in magazines like ScooNews, Education World, and Brain feed etc. and stay updated; and attend workshops, seminars, and conferences both online and face to face.
As Rana summarises, “Remember; every teacher who is not learning and growing will result in students who are not learning and growing at some level. Poor and ineffective professional development hurts teachers. It hurts their students. It hurts their community and, since quality education is so highly correlated with economic growth, it hurts their nation.”
…Still think too much of a fuss is made of teacher training?
This was the cover story in our November 2017 issue.
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:
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Regulation (NHERC) – compliance and governance
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Accreditation (NAC) – quality assurance
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Grants (HEGC) – performance-based funding
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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
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Streamlined oversight: Instead of navigating multiple authorities, institutions will liaise with one regulator.
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Better resource allocation: Integrated funding vertical offers performance incentives, echoing models in the UK and Australia.
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Unified standards: Accreditation and curriculum will be uniform, reducing interstate disparities.
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Global alignment: Can enhance India’s appeal with international quality frameworks.
Risks & Concerns
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Centralisation: Experts warn that vesting extensive power in one body may over-centralise control, risking academic freedom.
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Loss of specialised oversight: Domain experts from UGC, AICTE, and NCTE may be diluted.
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Bureaucratic inertia: Transition could bring its own delays and resistance from existing bodies.
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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.
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.
We often talk about how AI is transforming education, but are we talking enough about what it’s quietly taking away?
CREATIVITY
As Sir Ken Robinson often reminded us,“Creativity is as important as literacy.”
And yet, in a system so focused on marks, rubrics, and outcomes,creativity is often the first thing we sacrifice.
Bloom’s Taxonomy places Creating right at the top,but in many classrooms today, it feels like AI has reached that level faster than our students have.While children are still figuring out sentence structure and grammar, AI is already generating poems, paintings, and polished presentations with a single click.
Which brings us to a deeply uncomfortable question:
What happens when AI starts to “create”?
And more importantly—what happens when our students stop?
Today’s AI isn’t truly creative.It mimics. It reuses. It draws from patterns and reproduces what’s already been done.And if we don’t pause now to protect what’s uniquely human,we risk raising a generation of students who know how to use tools,but don’t know how to think.
Everything’s Starting to Look the Same
I’ve seen it. You’ve probably seen it too.
Creative writing tasks that sound strangely uniform.Artwork that feels formulaic.Presentations that are polished, yes, but empty.AI has democratised access to intelligence,but in doing so, it has started to flatten creativity.We’re now at a point where students are outsourcing not just answers,but imagination.
But true creativity cannot be prompted.It’s messy. It’s emotional. It’s born out of thinking, feeling, failing, and trying again. It lives in how we interpret the world. In how we care. In how we connect.
How Can We Bring Creativity Back?
We need to bring back the building blocks of creativity.
READ
Let students read more deeply,not just skim or summarise.Let them feel what’s in the pages, get lost in ideas, debate their favourite character in a book or movie, and form their own emotional connections.
EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING
Let’s re-focus on learning through doing,projects, fieldwork, play, nature, making mistakes, working with hands, collaborating, and reflecting.It’s in these non-linear, real-world experiences that creativity quietly blooms.
FINDING THE PURPOSE
We need to pause and ask: What is this child truly passionate about?
It could be animals, gardening, football, art—anything that sparks joy and curiosity.
Once we discover that passion, we can connect learning to it.
Let’s not just ask what they’re reading, but why they’re reading it.
What inspires them? How can that interest help them solve real-world problems?
That’s when learning becomes meaningful,and creativity starts to flow with purpose.
Because by the time they grow up,the world won’t just need people who can use AI – It will need people who can imagine what AI cannot.
Schools Undergoing Change in India
Schools in India are undergoing a major transformation. Teaching methods are evolving, and schools must meet rising expectations from students, parents, and educators. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced a fresh approach to learning, making it essential for new schools to be designed with these ideas in mind. Older campuses also need thoughtful upgrades and renovations to keep pace.
Schools must adapt to stay relevant in the years ahead. Designing flexible, future-ready spaces is no longer optional, it is vital for creating learning environments that will serve new generations for decades to come.
Experiential Learning
Experiential learning is reshaping education by focusing on hands-on, experience-based learning. It encourages students to take part in activities, real-world problem-solving, and interactive projects that spark curiosity and innovation. Collaboration is central — students work together to tackle challenges, share ideas, and find solutions. This approach deepens understanding and builds teamwork and communication skills needed for future work.
The Importance of Collaboration
Creating spaces that foster experiential learning, enhance engagement, and build critical thinking is essential. Collaborative spaces are a core part of modern school design. They encourage active learning and help students grasp concepts in a deep and meaningful way. By fostering collaboration, schools enable students to develop the skills necessary for success in a rapidly changing world.
Evolving Traditional Classrooms
Traditional classrooms are changing fast. The old rows of desks facing the teacher are giving way to flexible layouts that support different ways of learning. Today’s classrooms can easily switch between standard seating for lectures, conference-style setups for group work, seminar formats for presentations, or campfire circles for open discussions.
Good spatial design plays a big role in building critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A well-designed classroom makes it easy to rearrange furniture for each activity, helping students engage more, think creatively, and learn better together. Studies show students are more motivated and focused in classrooms that adapt to different teaching styles and make learning more interactive.
Spatial Design to Encourage Collaboration
Classrooms with movable furniture allow easy reconfiguration for group work, individual study, or interactive discussions. Flexibility is crucial in modern school design, with modular furniture, movable walls, and multipurpose rooms adapting to different needs. Removing long corridors and creating learning commons with classrooms around them is another innovative approach. Classrooms can open into these commons using sliding or folding partitions, creating a cohesive learning environment. Combining classrooms allows teachers to teach multiple groups together,
building a sense of community.
Breakout spaces offer small areas for group discussions, brainstorming, or quiet study, with comfortable seating and whiteboards. Makerspaces equipped with tools and materials foster innovation and hands-on learning by allowing students to apply theory in practice. Outdoor learning areas like gardens or amphitheaters add variety and encourage creativity. Technology-integrated spaces with interactive whiteboards and projectors enhance collaboration by making it easy for students to work together and share ideas. Learning pods provide semi-private spots for group work or individual study. Transparent walls and large windows create openness and bring in natural light, inspiring students to stay engaged.
Designing for well-being & Inclusion
Natural light, vibrant colours, and good acoustics make learning spaces more engaging. Inclusivity is essential so that diverse needs and abilities are accommodated, ensuring all students can succeed. Cross ventilation, thermal comfort, and indoor air quality are equally important — they improve physical comfort and well-being, helping students focus better.
Creativity is also key in effective learning spaces. From preschools to K-12, classrooms should inspire imagination and encourage students to think beyond the ordinary. Thoughtful design elements help create environments where curiosity and innovation thrive.
Conclusion
The future of learning will continue to evolve, but well-designed spaces will always play a central role. As educators and designers, we have a unique responsibility to create environments that inspire curiosity, spark ideas, and
support every learner’s journey. By designing schools that are flexible, inclusive, and future-ready, we build not just better classrooms but a stronger foundation for generations to come.
This article is authored by Vinod and Ranju Singhi, the Co-Founders and Principal Architects of BASICS Architects.
In a decisive step toward reforming India’s fragmented senior secondary education system, the Ministry of Education has constituted an 11-member high-level committee to address the mushrooming of dummy schools and the unchecked influence of coaching centres. Chaired by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, the committee includes representatives from CBSE, NCERT, and faculty from IITs in Madras, Kanpur, and Trichy.
The move is seen as part of a growing policy consensus across central and state governments to reclaim the authority of schools, following recent crackdowns and reforms aimed at regulating coaching institutions and curbing the dummy school culture that sidelines holistic education.
Dummy schools — where students are officially enrolled but rarely attend — have emerged as a by-product of India’s competitive entrance exam culture. These institutions prioritise JEE, NEET, and CUET preparation through coaching classes, while students disengage from formal schooling. The CBSE’s March 2025 advisory warning that students from dummy schools could be barred from board exams marked a serious turning point in policy enforcement.
Earlier this year, the Delhi Government carried out inspections in over 600 private schools, issuing notices to at least 10 for running dummy setups. The move followed media reports and parental complaints about students being denied regular schooling in favour of coaching arrangements.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Cabinet approved a bill in April 2025 to regulate coaching centres operating in Kota and other education hubs. The legislation aims to curb exploitative practices, mandate mental health counsellors, and prevent coaching centres from operating without a minimum infrastructure standard—prompted by rising student suicides in the state.
Central Framework and Industry Oversight
In February 2025, the Central Government announced a new framework for coaching centres, proposing registration, transparency in fee structures, and guidelines on advertising to prevent misleading claims. Together with the current committee’s formation, these reforms indicate a systematic tightening of oversight at all levels.
The new panel’s mandate is broad. It will investigate:
- The socio-academic reasons behind the rise of dummy schools
- The misalignment between school curricula and competitive exams
- The impact of coaching on student well-being and critical thinking
- The need to promote alternate career pathways beyond engineering and medicine
- Regulations around coaching advertisements and contract practices
A National Rethink on the Purpose of Schooling
Education experts like Dr Ameeta Mulla Wattal have welcomed the initiative, calling it “a vital opportunity to restore the sanctity of school education.” The rise of coaching centres as parallel systems, she noted, has come at the cost of creativity, values, and even mental health in adolescents.
As India contemplates the future of its learners, the Ministry’s recent actions suggest a serious intent to bridge the gap between boardrooms and classrooms. Whether the new committee’s recommendations lead to tangible change remains to be seen, but the signals are clear: education in India must prepare children for life, not just for an entrance exam.
The dopamine-rich scrolling in late mornings with amorphous freedom has made our zealous students so comfortable that they are re-entering their classrooms with minds tuned to instant gratification, not delayed rewards. Now the challenge isn’t just academics but to re-engage our bud’s attention and curiosity. Neuroscience backed motivation strategies and intentional school design could prove to be a catalyst as it will bring a positive change and enable the students to learn at a better pace.
1. Rewiring the Dopamine rush with 2 Ps, Purpose and Productivity:
Neuroscience says: Where our brains are functional to seek novelty and purpose on their own, during summer break, the buds often lean into adding the activities to their routine which are unpredictable, quick, and rewarding referring back to instant gratification, these activities may include social media, gaming, and chatting anonymously and grateful to internet and inventions, there are plethora of platforms enabling students to be distracted. And then joining back the school with a gradual drip of delayed academic rewards may seem to be a let-down for students.
Actionable tip: We as facilitators have to be the mystery-solvers channeling their energy into productivity, enlightening them with real-world challenges, interdisciplinary projects, or a mystery to solve that taps into their intrinsic curiosity. Novelty may allow us to reset their attention-even primitive changes in surrounding like rearranged desks, learning outdoors, and using the BALA method to utilize infrastructure, can signal a shift in engagement and productivity.
2. Design for Autonomy and Flow
Neuroscience says:
Neuroscience tells us that motivation really flourishes when students feel they have some control over their learning. The brain’s reward system kicks in when choices are part of the equation, especially regarding how tasks are structured or what content is covered.
Here’s a practical tip: give students structured choices, like deciding which book to dive into, which problem to tackle first, or how they want to present their findings. A design that promotes flow—complete with clear goals, manageable challenges, and instant feedback—helps keep students in that ideal zone, avoiding both boredom and anxiety.
3. Rebuild Social Motivation Through Spaces That Connect
Neuroscience tells us that connecting with peers is a huge motivator, especially after the pandemic. Our brains are wired for social interaction, which plays a key role in how we learn and engage emotionally.
Actionable tip: Create flexible seating arrangements or common areas that encourage group work and casual collaboration. Try incorporating daily activities like “curiosity circles” or peer-led problem-solving sessions to foster a sense of belonging and shared learning objectives.
4. Leverage Routines to Rewire Attention
Neuroscience shows that our habits influence our attention. After a summer of scattered focus, students thrive on rhythmic and consistent routines that help retrain their executive functions.
Actionable tip: Kick off classes with familiar “mind-on” rituals — whether it’s a thought-provoking question, a brief reflection, or a quiet sketch — to help anchor their attention. Consistency breeds comfort, and that comfort boosts confidence.
5. Make Joy a Design Priority
Neuroscience indicates that positive emotions can enhance learning by boosting neuroplasticity. When students (and teachers) experience joy, they’re more likely to engage deeply and retain what they learn.
Actionable tip: Infuse joyful moments into the day — through fun challenges, movement breaks, or a bit of humor. Allow time for students to share what excites them. A joyful classroom isn’t just a nicer place to be; it’s also more effective for learning.
Conclusion: To capture wandering minds, we need to understand how motivation truly works and design both our curriculum and learning spaces to support it. When we ignite curiosity, honor autonomy, and weave joy into the experience, even the sleepiest summer brain can come alive again.
This article is written by:
Renu Sharma
Assistant Director – Systems – Indirapuram Group of Schools
Principal – Indirapuram Public School – Crossings Republik
The Assam State School Education Board (ASSEB) has announced the introduction of Sign Language as an elective subject for Higher Secondary (Classes XI–XII) from the current academic year.
Education Minister Dr. Ranoj Pegu made the announcement during the inauguration of a residential AI training programme for teachers at IIT Guwahati. While Artificial Intelligence and Financial Literacy were also introduced as new electives, Sign Language stood out as a critical stride towards making classrooms more accessible to the deaf and hard-of-hearing community.
“This is not just about a subject; it’s about acknowledging communication rights,” said Dr. Pegu, who also unveiled a specially designed AI textbook at the event. The textbook was developed in collaboration with experts from IIT Guwahati and Dibrugarh University. He added that the curriculum reforms are aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020’s vision of equity, inclusion, and skill readiness.
According to education officials, the rollout of Sign Language will begin in institutions where qualified educators or resource personnel are available. Training for teachers is expected to be scaled up across the coming months. The subject aims to raise awareness about Indian Sign Language (ISL), improve communication access for students with hearing impairments, and sensitise peers to inclusive practices from a young age.
Later in the day, Dr. Pegu chaired a review meeting with officials from the Department of School Education to discuss budget allocations and planning for the 2025–26 academic year. While schemes like the Chief Minister’s Nijut Moina initiative, distribution of bicycles for Class IX girls, and the upgradation of Bodo-medium schools were discussed, the emphasis remained on delivering structural reforms that bridge equity gaps in access and opportunity.
The addition of Sign Language, AI, and Financial Literacy as electives reflects a broader shift in how Assam is reimagining school education — one where life skills, digital literacy, and inclusive values are no longer optional, but integral.
Every June, rainbow flags go up, corporate logos get a splash of colour, and the words Pride Month fill our timelines. But behind this month-long celebration lies something far deeper — an entire universe of history, identity, and stories that often remain outside the margins of our textbooks, especially here in India.
When we talk about queer histories, most people quickly say: Pride is an American concept. And yes, the Stonewall Riots of 1969 are often marked as the start of the modern LGBTQIA+ rights movement. But to believe that queer identities only exist where the parades happen is both lazy and inaccurate. Because if you look carefully — at temple walls, ancient texts, and folklore — you’ll find that India, too, has always had queer stories. We’ve just failed to write them down as part of our “official” history.
Take Mahabharat — where Shikhandi, a warrior born as a woman but raised as a man, plays a crucial role in Bhishma’s death. Or Brihannala, Arjuna’s year-long identity as a eunuch. Look at Khajuraho or Konark temples — where fluid sexual depictions exist without judgement. Even Mughal records speak softly of same-sex companionship. Yet none of these ever made it to our history chapters. Why? Because of historiography — the selective way in which history gets written, where lived experiences are often filtered through political, cultural or moral lenses. What we’re left with is history that’s comfortable — not always complete.
But while adults debate culture wars, there’s a rising generation of Indian teens who are quietly asking braver questions. More kids today — some as young as 12 or 13 — are exploring their gender identities, sexual orientations, or even just the vocabulary to describe what they feel. And many of them don’t know who to turn to. Some are scared of being mocked by peers. Others fear judgement from family. Teachers, too, often don’t have the training or language to guide them. The result? Stories like Aarvey Malhotra’s — a young boy who couldn’t bear the bullying he faced for his gender expression — remind us how deadly this silence can be.
Arvey Malhotra with his mother Aarti Malhotra
So where can these kids turn? Sometimes, the safest place to meet yourself is inside a book.
Here’s a small, carefully chosen list of books (curated with the help of AI) that may help teens (13+) begin that journey of understanding — about themselves or others:
1. Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon
Written by a gender non-conforming writer of Indian origin, this is a short, deeply accessible introduction to gender fluidity.
2. The Boy & The Bindi by Vivek Shraya (Illustrated by Rajni Perera)
While more suitable for slightly younger kids, this beautifully illustrated book helps children embrace non-conformity and Indian culture together.
3. Pride: The Story of Harvey Milk and the Rainbow Flag by Rob Sanders
An excellent way to understand where the modern pride movement began, told through the story of the Pride flag’s creation.
4. Gender Identity: Beyond Pronouns and Bathrooms by Maria Cook
Written for teens, this breaks down gender identity, expression, dysphoria and non-binary identities in simple, compassionate language.
5. The Queer Hindu: A Spiritual Perspective by Devdutt Pattanaik (Selected Essays)
While not strictly a children’s book, certain essays by Pattanaik can open doors for older teens who wish to explore how queerness exists within Indic traditions.
6.Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
A young-adult novel that tackles identity, family, and justice in a tender, imaginative way by a non-binary author.
7. When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff
For kids exploring trans experiences, this picture book offers a gentle, positive portrayal of gender transition.
(Book covers- Amazon.in, Goodreads)
So why does Pride matter in schools?
This isn’t about imposing ideologies — it’s about offering answers to kids who are already asking. And if we want fewer kids like Aarvey to feel alone, confused, or ashamed, we need to stop treating gender and sexuality like topics too complicated for them to understand. They’re not. What they need are trusted spaces, the right words, and adults who listen without first judging.
After all, education was always meant to make us more human — and queerness, in all its forms, is part of that humanity.
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