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Inclusive Education: Tackling Inequalities and Promoting Learning

Mr Mame Omar Diop, Programme Specialist and Chief of Education at UNESCO, New Delhi, and Mr Abhinav Kumar, who works in the education sector at UNESCO, New Delhi, address Inclusive Education in India.

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Education offers the simple ability to read, write, count and calculate which plays a vital role in the process of social progress and development. Access to education has the power to improve the quality of life of an individual by providing economic opportunities; changing public perceptions towards human rights; giving a political voice and understanding legal rights- rights, which an individual might already possess but is not able to utilize because of a lack of knowledge and awareness about what it entails. While access to education is essential, the primary aim of schooling is to transfer knowledge and teach skills to students. In other words, it is important to balance an increase in ‘quantity’ of education with a simultaneous increase in the ‘quality’ of education which is accessible and affordable for each and every individual.

With the vision of “Leaving no one behind”, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) 2030 Agenda by the United Nations has played a pivotal role in drawing attention to the inequalities which restrict access to quality education across the globe. While SDG 4 and SDG 10 specifically talk about ’Quality Education’ and ‘Reduced Inequalities’ respectively, the remaining 15 SDG’s directly or indirectly highlight the emergent need to build an inclusive environment which provides equitable access to quality education for all.

Inequalities do not just exist in societies exclusively but in most cases, different forms of inequality intersect with each other and exacerbate the situation for some individuals. For instance, due to prevailing prejudices, a poor woman from an indigenous community living in a rural area is likely to be more disadvantaged than any other individual in the same locality. This highlights social injustice towards individuals within a community based on their gender, caste, location and cultural habitats. It is extremely important to realise that inclusivity is not restricted to providing access to schools by building infrastructure, ensuring school facilities and increasing enrolment. Geographical location; nutrition; mental health; disabilities are some of the many factors which need to be addressed whilst advocating for inclusivity in education.  

Bihar’s case highlighting the importance of inclusivity in education:

 

     Source: World Bank Data, 2016

Figure 1. The graph depicts the disparities in educational attainment (%) among different social groups of Bihar

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While there are policy frameworks laid down by the Government of India to reduce and challenge inequalities, they are either not applied correctly or there are multiple forms of inequalities which make these policies redundant. In the education sector, The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, 2009 was passed in an attempt to boost primary level education enrolment rates for children aged between 6 and 14 (Government of India 2009). While this has had a positive impact on the enrolment rates in Bihar with student enrolment rates going above 90% for primary level education (Mukul 2015), figure 1 highlights the large number of disparities among different social groups. Nearly 60% of the Scheduled Caste (historically termed as ‘socially backward communities’ in India) remain to be illiterate while the ‘general’ category seems to have better access to quality education with a 20% figure. Consequently, these differences tend to restrict access to other social protection systems in the long run. This implies the need to amend policies in a way which creates equal opportunities for every individual in the country, regardless of her/his economic status or social identity.

Making foundational learning part of ‘Inclusive Education’

Inclusivity is also to be met with quality learning outcomes. The World Development Report 2018 entirely focused on the urgent need to promote learning to fully utilize the potential of education (World Bank 2018). The report shares a decline in the learning abilities of students mainly from developing countries and has emphasised on the need to prioritize learning and not just schooling. Amongst the developing countries, with a population of over 1.3 billion people spread across the 28 states and 8 union territories, the challenge of providing equal access to quality education is a tremendous one for India. In fact, as per the latest census data, India has a high child population (0-18 years) percentage (39%) highlighting the increased responsibility on the state for providing equitable access to quality education to all age groups (Government of India 2018).  While this shows that India has a huge challenge to overcome right now, an optimistic way to look at it is that if an ‘efficient’ education system is put in place at the earliest, the country can reap benefits of its high demographic dividend in the long run.

There are multiple pathways to building an ‘efficient’ education system in India. There is substantial evidence at both, international and national level to prove that one of the most effective ways to attain quality education for all is an investment in Early Childhood Education (ECE) (OECD 2019). The India Early Childhood Education Impact (IECEI) study, conducted by the ASER Centre and the Centre for Early Childhood Education and Development (CECED), shows that children who have access to high-quality ECE are more ‘school ready’ than those who do not (Kaul et al. 2017). Over and above ECE’s potential to improve linguistic, cognitive and socio-emotional skills of the child, ECE is also extremely beneficial for the mother, the family and the national economy in the long run (OECD 2017).

Despite increasing evidence that ECE contributes towards better education, social, health and economic indicators; universalization of pre-primary education was not given the priority it requires in India until recently. The draft National Education Policy (NEP) 2019 has stated that the learning gaps start even before children attend school. It has identified foundational learning as the root cause of the learning crisis in the country and it is now upon state governments to anticipate and simultaneously react to the challenges ahead in providing foundational literacy and numeracy skills to make all young children ‘school ready’.   

In order to make sure a holistic approach towards inclusivity in education, UNESCO defines inclusive education as- “Inclusion is seen as a process of addressing and responding to the diversity of needs of all learners through increasing participation in learning, cultures and communities, and reducing exclusion within and from education. It involves changes and modifications in content, approaches, structures and strategies, with a common vision which covers all children of the appropriate age range and a conviction that it is the responsibility of the regular system to educate all children” (UNESCO 2005).

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In its efforts to address inclusivity, the Government of India passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPWD) Act, 2016 which identified the types of disabilities have been increased from 7 to 21 and that the Central Government will have the power to add more types of disabilities. This was a great step taken in addressing inclusive education as it went beyond the physical aspects of disability and included mental aspects. Inclusive Education had to be rethought and implications of disabilities on learning had to be considered and addressed.

UNESCO New Delhi is committed in promoting and ensuring the need to provide equitable access to quality education for all. Inclusive education comes out of a vision of the world based on equity, justice and fairness. In this regard, UNESCO New Delhi office launched, ‘N FOR NOSE – State of the Education Report for India 2019: Children with Disabilities’, in July 2019. It aims to articulate a vision of education for children with disabilities for 2030 as set out in national and international policy documents and legislative frameworks. Similarly, an annual report on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will be released in 2020. As we step up our efforts in the countdown towards achieving the 2030 agenda, we reaffirm the need to form an education system which is inclusive by tackling social, cultural, economic and spatial inequalities within countries. Concerted and multi-sectoral efforts are the need of the hour to ensure the fulfilment of the SDGs’ pledge of ‘leaving no one behind’.

In 2020 and during a period where almost all countries are going through a crisis situation due to Covid19, it is our duty to reflect on the difficulties of those people who cannot switch to e-learning methods due to their inability to access the internet, computers and laptops or even lack of knowledge about online learning courses. As we advocate for education for all in such testing times, we need to ensure that individual from all backgrounds is made part of the education ecosystem which can further empower them to fight situations like these in the future.

To face the COVID-19 crisis, UNESCO has provided immediate support to countries by updating the distance learning guides for more than 1.47 billion children who are out of school because of school closures across the globe (UNESCO 2020).

As a right, learning must continue and the efforts should go more to those who are the most disadvantaged. There is an urgent need to emphasize the role of education in responding to such crises. UNESCO New Delhi Education team will continue to think and reflect on:

  1. How to ensure the continuity of learning for all even in times of crisis/emergency
  2. How to train teachers for their preparedness and what to include in the content of their education
  3. How to organize distance education, homeschooling and personalized pathways

 

       

Authors: Mame Omar Diop and Abhinav Kumar

Mr. Mame Omar Diop is Programme Specialist and Chief of Education at UNESCO New Delhi Cluster Office for India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and Maldives, and Mr. Abhinav Kumar works in the education sector at UNESCO New Delhi.

References:

  1. Government of India (2009) The right of children to free and compulsory education act, 2009. No. 35 of 2009. New Delhi http://mhrd.gov.in/rte   
  2. Government of India (2018), “Children in India 2018- A Statistical Appraisal”, page 68. By Social Statistics Division Central Statistics Office Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. Retrieved from: http://www.mospi.gov.in/sites/default/files/publication_reports/Children%20in%20India%202018%20%E2%80%93%20A%20Statistical%20Appraisal_26oct18.pdf 
  3. Kaul, V., Bhattacharjea, S., Chaudhary, A. B., Ramanujan, P., Banerji, M., & Nanda, M. (2017),” The India Early Childhood Education Impact Study”, New Delhi: UNICEF, Retrieved from https://www.academia.edu/34458607/The_India_Early_Childhood_Education_Impact_Study,
  4. OECD (2017), “Improve early education and care to help more children get ahead and boost social mobility” Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/newsroom/improve-early-education-and-care-to-help-more-children-get-ahead-and-boost-social-mobility.htm,
  5. OECD (2019), “Providing Quality Early Childhood Education and Care Results from the Starting Strong Survey 2018”, TALIS, OECD Publishing, page19-21, Paris, Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1787/301005d1-en,
  6. UNESCO (2005), ‘Guidelines for Inclusion: Ensuring Access to Education for All’ available at  http://www.ibe.unesco.org/sites/default/files/Guidelines_for_Inclusion_UNESCO_2006.pdf 
  7. UNESCO (2020), ‘COVID-19 Educational Disruption and Response’ available at https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures
  8. World Bank (2016) ‘Bihar Poverty, Growth & Inequality’ last accessed on 12th January 2019 http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/781181467989480762/pdf/105842-BRI-P157572-PUBLIC-Bihar-Proverty.pdf    
  9. World Bank (2018), ‘World Development Report 2018: Learning to Realize Education’s Promise’. Washington, DC: World Bank. DOI:10.1596/978-1-4648-1096-1. License: Creative Commons Attribution CC BY 3.0 IGO https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2018 

Education

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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Edutainment

Weaving Social-Emotional Learning into the Curriculum

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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

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  • 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

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Education

Education with Purpose: Shaping Responsible Learners for a Better Tomorrow

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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.   

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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

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Education

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

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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

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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

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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)

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Education

Math Meets Machine: How AI Is Revolutionising Classroom Learning

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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.

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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- 

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Ranjith P C, Head Curriculum Excellence, TVS Education

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Education

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

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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.”

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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.

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Education

Teaching Privilege: Why It Belongs in Every Classroom

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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.

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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.)
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Education

India Plans Unified Higher Education Regulator: What the HECI Bill Means

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India proposes HECI to subsume UGC/AICTE/NCTE, promising unified standards for higher education

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:

  1. Regulation (NHERC) – compliance and governance

  2. Accreditation (NAC) – quality assurance

  3. Grants (HEGC) – performance-based funding

  4. Academic Standards (GEC) – curriculum and learning outcomes

This “light but tight” approach aims to foster innovation and autonomy while maintaining integrity and transparency.

Potential Benefits

  • Streamlined oversight: Instead of navigating multiple authorities, institutions will liaise with one regulator.

  • Better resource allocation: Integrated funding vertical offers performance incentives, echoing models in the UK and Australia.

  • Unified standards: Accreditation and curriculum will be uniform, reducing interstate disparities.

  • Global alignment: Can enhance India’s appeal with international quality frameworks.

Risks & Concerns

  • Centralisation: Experts warn that vesting extensive power in one body may over-centralise control, risking academic freedom.

  • Loss of specialised oversight: Domain experts from UGC, AICTE, and NCTE may be diluted.

  • Bureaucratic inertia: Transition could bring its own delays and resistance from existing bodies.

  • Compliance complexity: Institutions may face confusion adapting to new norms and vertical structures.

Global Inspiration & Way Forward

Many countries offer models worth emulating: the UK’s Office for Students (OfS), Australia’s TEQSA, and the US’s accreditation agencies show that one-regulator systems can work—if they strike a balance between oversight and autonomy. The NEP framework supports this, but success hinges on a smooth transition, capacity building, and safeguarding academic freedom.

In short, HECI is more than an institutional reshuffle. It has the potential to redefine Indian higher education—if implemented thoughtfully. The challenge now lies in building consensus, streamlining regulatory roles, and ensuring this new body empowers institutions, not constrains them.

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This news has been sourced from various media outlets, with parts of it written and contextualised by the ScooNews editorial team.

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Education

Student Suicides Account for 7.6% of All Cases in India: What the Govt Is Doing Next

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Multi-pronged measures were being rolled out to address the crisis, including psychological support for students, teachers, and families.

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.

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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.

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Education

When AI Reaches the Top of Bloom’s—and Our Students Are Left Behind

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In a world where AI can mimic art, our children must master the art of being human (Representational AI Image)

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:

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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.

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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.

(more…)

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