Education
Leading lights from education discuss the highs and lows of 2019 as well as the hopes for 2020
In the last month of the year, a note of hope was sounded with the HRD Ministry declaring that the new National Education Policy would be in the public domain very soon and, what’s more, it would ‘establish the glory of India in the world’.
In the last month of the year, a note of hope was sounded with the HRD Ministry declaring that the new National Education Policy would be in the public domain very soon and, what’s more, it would ‘establish the glory of India in the world’. Yes, we could do with some of that shine! MHRD Secretary (Higher Education) R Subrahmanyam emphasised, “This education policy is going to modify the way we are implementing our education systems.” NEP 2019 envisions an India-centred education system that contributes directly to transforming India sustainably into an equitable and vibrant knowledge society, by providing high quality education to all. Some of the goals include quality early childhood education for all children between 3-6 years by 2025, every student in Grade 5 and beyond to achieve foundational literacy and numeracy by 2025, new 5+3+3+4 developmentally-appropriate curricular and pedagogical structure for school education, integrated, flexible school curriculum, no hierarchy of subjects, no hard separation of areas; integration of vocational and academic streams and lots more. The implementation of the NEP is naturally much looked forward to in the new year, by a system that has much to achieve. Incidentally, the HRD ministry received more than 2 lakh suggestions on NEP.
Edtech continues to make big strides. A study conducted by Google and KPMG had estimated online education in India, apparently the fastest growing internet market, to mushroom by 8 x into a close to $2 billion industry by 2021. This boom has seen a varied range of edtech platforms tackling the current infrastructure gap in different ways. While some use animation to teach complex topics, others have human tutors doing the teaching, while still others have gamified the process to create an interactive learning experience. Edtech start-ups, with their new and engaging range of solutions including new age tutorials, flipped classrooms, personalised learning and standardised resources, have the potential to leapfrog our education system towards increased success.
Say edtech and it must willy-nilly be followed by Byju’s… Byju’s, which has since raised close to a billion dollars from investors, is among the five most valuable Indian start-ups, along with Oyo, Paytm, Ola and Swiggy, last valued at about $5.5 billion in July. The company posted profits of ₹20 crore last fiscal on revenues of about ₹1,400 crore, on the back of about 35 million users, 2.5 million of whom are paid subscribers. With close to 85 percent renewal rate, the firm is on course to clock ₹3,000 crore in the current fiscal.
Budget time, it was revealed that the government plans to invest Rs.38, 572 crore under the National Education Mission. In 2018-19, Budget Education was Rs.56,619 crore, which had been increased to Rs.62,474 crore. It has been further increased to 76,800 crore in BE 2019-20. The four prominent schemes under National Education Mission, including Sakshar Bharat, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha and Teacher training programs, are expected to get a boost. The increased spend on National Education Program will make provision for skilled teachers in the system with better pay. It will also provide incentives to encourage research across all disciplines along with strengthening the technical capacity of the central schools.
With the budget's emphasis on digitisation, AI and advanced technology, integration of technology in classrooms is expected to get a considerable thrust. Additionally, education is expected to become more accessible for all. Technology upgradation and teacher's training are the two critical elements that will allow Indian schools to leverage the power of digital solutions and prepare students for new age jobs and careers.
Even as President Ramnath Kovind stressed that liberal arts education needs to be given as much importance as science and technology, and at least 23 teenagers in the southern Indian state of Telangana killed themselves since their controversial school-leaving exam results, several million people, including thousands of students, took part in the global climate strike across the world, inspired by Swedish climate activist and student, Greta Thunberg. “People are failing to grasp the anger of the younger generation in the face of a changing climate,” young Greta pointed out. “People are underestimating the force of angry kids.” Truly, if we cannot help, let us not hinder and simply get out of the way!
Since year endings merit looking back and looking forward, we got key experts from the field of education to share with ScooNews their views on the main developments and happenings in the field, both domestic and global, over the year. What did they find encouraging? What are the lessons that need to be learned from the challenges encountered to ensure better outcomes? What are they particularly looking forward to in the new year with regard to education? Here’s what they feel…
‘Learning is now a life-long practice’
Pukhraj Ranjan
Indian education & social innovation advocate
Head of Community & Media at HundrED.org
Schools in India and around the world are trying to innovate and match the speed at which the world is changing. But education, as of today, isn’t restricted only to the school boundaries. Children are learning from TV, social media channels, their own parents and communities, news, internet and through many other learning avenues. Learning is now a life-long practice which presents an ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons.
Through my experience at the HundrED Innovation Summit (Helsinki, Finland) and World Innovation Summit for Education – WISE 2019 (Doha, Qatar), over the last month, has reiterated my belief in the future of education to be rooted in holistic development and holistic wellbeing of the child.
Across both the summits and my continued interaction with global education innovators, I have noticed a deep focus on using design thinking to solve social challenges that prevent students from getting access to education. I also have noticed a rise in soft (essential) skills education like that of social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, as well as competitiveness and employability.
71% of the HundrED 2020 global collection of education innovations target the development of 21st century skills as defined by the Future of Education and Skills 2030 report by the OECD (2018). The six winners of the 2019 WISE Awards were also seen to be addressing global educational challenges from supporting low-income families with funding support packages in Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Liberia to facilitating early childhood development through home visiting programs in Brazil, etc.
A key facet of the conversations in the current global education landscape revolves around innovative practices in education that have solid evidence of impact and more importantly have the potential to scale.
New innovation needed:
While researching innovative education practices, the HundrED research team identified some global factors contributing to the resistance and distrust on experimenting with new practices and technologies. These include:
Time is a scarce resource that is spread thinly across curricula demands, which consequently stifles deep thinking, imagination, and creativity in schools.
Managing demanding assessment expectations causes most educators and students to be risk averse (e.g. the rise of standardised assessment).
Teachers are stressed just to get to the end of the day and cut corners out of necessity, leaving little room for new ideas to grow in an agile way.
Current structural boundaries (like a rigid school timetable) stifle new ideas for teachers and students, making it very difficult for innovation in education to spread easily.
As an Indian educator and innovation advocate, I believe new innovations in education should aim to allow us to do more with less and provide ways for educators to mitigate against these barriers.
Holistic wellbeing of all:
As we move into 2020, I look forward to seeing a sustainable and continued commitment to holistic development and holistic wellbeing of not just the child but all key education stakeholders like teachers, school leaders, parents, etc. I am also hopeful for a renewed focus on actively listening and involving the beneficiaries of our work and critical educational conversations, especially students and youth. And as mentioned above, I hope to see more innovations in education that do more with less and provide ways to help children flourish and reach their potential worldwide.
‘Attention given to personalised learning is heartening’
Lina Ashar
Educationist, entrepreneur, writer
Chairman, Kangaroo Kids Education Limited
The most promising developments in education recently have been the integration of technology in classrooms and schools and the increased attention given to personalised learning.
We’re at the cusp of an education revolution and modern advancements have been the driving force that could very well change the face of education forever. The integration of technology in schools and classrooms has been a boon to students, faculty and management. The use of classroom management software and cloud technology have not only help drive cost savings and operational efficiencies but improve the utilisation of resources for student learning. Breakthroughs in the field of Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality, within the education sector, have changed the way students learn, paving the way for data-driven and personalised learning.
Artificial intelligence has improved student learning through tutoring systems that are available as and when the student requires. The same system is able to adapt the teaching approach to suit the student’s needs and thereafter evaluate the student’s performance. It utilizes data obtained through direct interaction and mobile learning to adapt the approach and help realise the student’s potential for learning. Artificial intelligence, through the use of concepts like online learning and data-driven learning, is helping make a student’s education more relevant and personalised. Virtual reality or virtual learning has made it possible for students to experience their education more vividly, increasing their interest in the matter and improving their understanding. It makes the interaction between students and subjects more immersive and engaging by giving students, quite literally, a better view on the subject.
The need to find motivation:
Resilience and positivity are the key lessons to learn from any challenge. I believe that students today lack the self-belief and determination that could help them overcome challenges. Students may have the skills and direction to overcome challenges, but they need to find the motivation to keep moving forward.
Parents and teachers need to help students understand that failure is not the end, it’s a means to an end. Failure is a stepping stone and can help students learn, so by teaching them to look at it positively, children can gain the potential to learn more.
Obstacles and challenges are a part of life, it’s how we choose to look at it that can make the difference. When these challenges appear, it is up to us to find meaning in it. This can set us on the road to developing resilience. Let the life story of Lou Gehrig serve as an example of overcoming challenges and creating better outcomes. Lou was a clumsy kid, and the boys in his neighbourhood wouldn’t let him play on their baseball team. But this didn’t deter him from playing baseball, instead, he tapped into his source of inner courage and determination to keep improving. Where do you think that got him? Today, he is listed in the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of the greatest players of all time. Such is the power of positivity and resilience.
Taking failure positively, but at the same time using the experience to overcome it, can put students on the path to success. Ultimately, to ensure better outcomes, we need to make sure that we learn from the experience and use that learning to do better; positivity and resilience help ensure that we keep moving forward and keep learning.
Not a restart but change:
A new year symbolises a new beginning, but what we need isn’t a restart, we need a change. Education needs to be restructured to provide learners with the knowledge, skills and competencies they need for the future.
Education needs to be less about just teaching children and more about how we can create effective, lifelong learners, where learning new skills will be an ongoing necessity throughout life. To that end, I’m looking forward to a revamp of the system; making student education more focused on development rather than on results and success.
In the future, education and every other aspect of the world will be heavily dependent on technology. Many jobs will be replaced by machines. So, what’s in store for our children?
Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, spoke at The World Economic Forum, saying: “If we do not change the way we teach, the world will be in trouble. Our education is knowledge-based, and we cannot teach our kids to compete with machines. We have to teach them something unique so that machines can never catch up with us.”
We need to equip the learners of today with the skills and values that can help them become adaptable, innovative, and purpose-driven, as those will be the requirements for success in the world that they will live in. We need to prepare our children for the workplace of the future.
Keeping that in mind, I look forward to the evolution of education in terms of a pivotal shift. Regrettably, the push for change is an external one, from industries that are not having their needs met by the current state of education. Education should be more proactive to future vision and change by itself. So, here’s to hoping that the education system will realise the necessity of such a change.
‘Overjoyed by happiness inclusion in curriculum’
Dr Jagpreet Singh
Headmaster, Punjab Public School, Nabha.
I was thrilled to see the inclusion of technology making its presence felt in almost every education sector. I was overjoyed by the fact that Delhi government and other states included Happiness in their Curriculum. Ironically, at the same time this has left me wondering …do we need to teach happiness and enforce it in our lives? Time to contemplate, my dear colleagues from the education fraternity…!
Drawing the line:
Yes, with IT playing the role of necessary evil, we need to have a more clear line of thought about “how much is too much”. We must understand and find out the constructive role of technology in the learning outcome as per various Educational Boards.
Catch ‘em young:
I will be extremely elated to see the young generation taking up teaching as profession. Classrooms breaking the barrier of four walls and inter-disciplinary approach will be an interesting thing to learn and implement.
‘Dialogue is a silver lining’
Dr. Sumer Singh
Author and advisor to schools
Director Education Salad
In spite of the dismal level of financial support from government towards school education and education research, there are some silver linings which have emerged in recent times.
What comes to mind first is dialogue, dialogue between educators and the CBSE and between educators and the Ministry of HRD. How much is the impact on policy is still not known but the desire for more open conversation gives rise not only to optimism but also to the emergence of enhanced brainstorming and to a consequential growth of education leaders in the private sector.
From my perch as a retired educationist I see them coming out of their limited campus environments onto the bigger stage and a number of educational thinkers are having a very positive impact. Not only are these educationists more outspoken than their counterparts of my generation, but they have been sharing their views and experiences on the platforms provided by a mushrooming of conferences and workshops across the country. These ever-multiplying conferences are leading to sharing of best practices, ideas and cooperation as never before. Organisations like ScooNews, Education World & Future 50 need to be recognized for their contribution in the development of this phenomenon.
The second positive development is globalization and inter-cultural learning. Educators are engaging beyond the elitist global clubs that benefit only a few. AFS has grown in the last two years into a network of a hundred schools pan India, providing training in intercultural skills to over thousands of students and hundreds of educators. Apart from overseas exchanges it has initiated domestic exchanges and I have seen the dividends of student exchanges between schools in different parts of the country creating friendships and a better understanding of our cultural diversity. This is so important in an age when nations and even Indian states are finding reasons to isolate themselves in a false sense of nationalism and protectionism.
Migration across state and national borders in search of better education, professional development and tourism is a growing reality and preparing students in inter cultural sensitivity is an essential component of education.
Educators are equally exposing themselves through study tours abroad. The biggest impacts in this process is the emergence of humanities or the liberal arts as a preferred option and the importance now being given more widely to languages, visual and performing arts.
In all this churning many of our students have shifted priorities beyond traditional and well-paying careers to areas of responsible citizenship, desiring to make an impact on issues like environment & urban planning, gender sensitivity, conflict resolution as also educational opportunities for the less privileged. This new breed will impact our society for the better for they are thinking beyond their own personal comforts. Certainly more than we did.
There is also a gradual shift in rural areas away from a desire to secure government jobs towards acquiring skills and working independently. If this trend grows the result will be more enterprise and the creation of jobs.
Postponement of qualifying exam disheartening:
Having listed some of the positive trends I have a major regret which I do hope is addressed soon. In the 1980s I attended a series of meetings with the HRD Minister, Education Secretary and Chairperson of the CBSE. It was resolved that India would do away with the school leaving examination which restricts multi-faceted talents recognizing only academic achievements based on restricted parameters, encouraging unhealthy competition and stress. That we would replace this with a common higher studies’ qualifying examination that could be attempted a multiple of times. It was hoped to reduce the existing numerous entrance examinations and, in the process, give more freedom of curriculum at the school level.
I was sad to learn soon after that the implementation of this decision was postponed because the Ministry lacked the technical skills to introduce the resolution till such time as papers could be simultaneously prepared in multiple languages. I do still hope this scheme, long forgotten, is revived one day.
We all hope that educators will shift from a lecture, notes and memorization methodology to a more creative and experiential model. But until the assessment model is changed, we will remain tied to marks and ranks, neglecting the essential soft skills that define each of us.
‘Swing from memory-based to skill-based education’
Anirudh Khaitan
Vice Chairman Khaitan Public School
Director, Bengal Education Society
Our recent trip to Australia has been an eye opener for the education system that is being followed there. The complete assessment and analysis of students performance is being monitored through data using artificial intelligence tools. Technology is being heavily integrated into classrooms, being in the real world feel into classrooms. What was very encouraging to see globally is how education is being moved away from memory based to more skill-based education. Specially in Australia, they have managed to bring in literally 1000’s of skills into high school education and there is a very positive impact on schooling there because of it.
Even in India, there has been a complete thought process change in how one of their leading boards CBSE is viewing education. They have been able to shift their mindset from Rote Learning Methodology to more experiential based learning. This is more in line with what is needed in our country. The have recently announced many initiatives from reforms in assessments that will have a huge impact on how education is done in the country.
RTE challenges:
The introduction of RTE has been extremely challenging both for government institutions and private institutions. Instead of increasing overall enrolment, RTE has managed to only shift students from Government to Private schools. Currently the RTE is going to be revamped and we are very hopeful that the government will look at all the misgivings of the earlier policy and make it better. The government is the biggest provider of education, without which a country cannot move forward. They are already focussing more on making their own schools better and now we look forward for their support in the initiatives taken by the private schools, so together we can all take the country forward.
Needed: NEP implementation:
I am particularly looking forward to the implementation of NEP as if done in the right way, it could make a huge impact on school education. Personally, for our schools, we are looking at automating all processes as into give a better product and experience to our students and parents.
‘AI is digging into data and learning rapidly’
Anand Krishnaswamy
Dean of STEM Studies
Purkal Youth Development Society
What a teacher is, has been a shape-shifting definition since our mythological version of the guru in a gurukula – from being a controller to a facilitator, from being the store of knowledge to flipped classes, from being the key player in a closed room to MOOCs, from that strict martinet to an empathetic comrade – and continues to change. But there is one development which is rapidly pushing education and teachers to answer this question as in that answer will be the roadmap to how education itself will take shape. That development is of artificial intelligence (AI) and its increasing role in education. Before I go into the debate, let me present some of the work that is out there.
Many countries are invested in AI in education. Global edtech funding jumped a whopping 58% in 2015 from the previous year. The market is projected to grow at 17.0% per annum, to $252 billion by the year 2020. Asia is seeing the fastest growth in investment into the sector; China, in particular, is the largest edtech market. China is also very bullish about AI in education. Many reports across the world attribute higher pass grades and reduced dropout rates to collaborating with an AI adaptive learning system. It will no longer be about gadgets but about utilising tech for providing value unlike realised before in education. The validation is there but what are the key differentiators?
The biggest strengths:
AI’s biggest strength is scale of operation. An AI system can not only look at the responses of students in the class and identify patterns of error and learning (which an excellent human teacher could also do) but it can also crunch numbers and extract patterns from all schools in a city or state or country and indicate with varying degrees of confidence, the likely paths ahead or challenges in the past. A human teacher is not even privy to this information, let alone possess the ability to process these. An AI system can respond to identified patterns by picking from a massive catalogue of options. A human teacher (and even the best) can respond with a few options. An AI system can process data about a student’s learning pattern over the years & even build a model that maps it to physiological changes – and then repeat this for thousands of students. The best human teacher is rarely ever with one student for many years and even if they are, they are unlikely to repeat this intimate awareness at a scale beyond a few tens at best. AI is a function of its algorithms. The best human teacher is a function of his/her moods, mental acumen (which is not fixed), commitment, health and energy levels.
I’ll present one example of the work out there. A lot of fascinating advancements are being done at Squirrel AI Learning, China. Their strength lies in the granularity they invest in and the responses to signals at that level of granularity. In common terms, Squirrel’s strength is in how minutely they break down each topic, say, a chapter, into facets that require new learning or reconnect to old learning as well as the response mechanism they have for a student’s interaction with those facets. This response mechanism, they call a “knowledge graph”. By presenting about 10-15 questions, the system is able to determine the exact support and help the student needs as well as the flavour of the next lesson (since the next lesson can come in different flavours depending on student learning styles and their individual knowledge graph). The future, at places like Squirrel AI, is fascinating & full of possibilities. Whether this ends up in a test-driven education model (much like what we see in coaching classes and cities like Kota) or an expansive and holistic education – we will never know but AI is here to stay.
Teachers and AI:
While many will emotionally respond with “Ah! No computer can replace a real teacher”, that number is reducing very swiftly. The wiser few do not talk in terms of “either or” and acknowledge that the human would be the best human teacher if s/he admitted his/her shortcomings and utilised AI to fill those and inform his/her judgement. The reason that is inevitable is because teaching and education has loved to play to the image of that amazing teacher who created a miracle in the lives of many. AI is simply not wasting time in miracles but is digging into data and learning rapidly. Teaching & effective learning is composed of elements that are repetitive & rudimentary, coupled with elements that are subjective and perception-based, combined with elements that are inherently evolutionary and adaptive. Some of these elements can be presented by a machine (which is not very different, in its role, from a textbook; just richer). There are elements of analysis that simply need to be performed (what example works best for Kumar? What video should Sujata watch next? Has Vijay truly understood fraction equivalence? etc.) and are today held ransom to the teacher’s willingness, capability or inclination to trick the system. AI can perform these without taking a break. A wise teacher would use this to identify his/her next move.
While India is far behind in AI and is more likely to end up adopting from elsewhere, this is going to be a significant overhaul of education system implementation as we know it. This is a trend I am eagerly watching.
The Ministry of Education’s Department of School Education and Literacy (DoSEL) has joined the Government of India’s Special Campaign 5.0, running from 2nd to 31st October 2025. The campaign focuses on institutionalising cleanliness (Swachhata), improving efficiency in governance, and enhancing the physical environment of schools across India.
A key goal of the campaign is to ensure that schools provide a clean, safe, and engaging atmosphere for students. States and Union Territories have been encouraged to carry out whitewashing, repainting, and minor repairs such as maintaining functional toilets, fixing flooring, and replastering walls. Refurbishing name boards, reclaiming unused spaces, and improving campus aesthetics are also part of the drive.
To make school environments more vibrant, schools are being encouraged to create murals and wall art inspired by traditional Indian art forms such as Madhubani, Kalamkari, and Warli. These creative efforts will not only beautify campuses but also serve as Building as Learning Aid (BaLA) resources, helping students connect with India’s cultural heritage.
Community involvement forms a central part of Special Campaign 5.0. The Ministry is encouraging schools to involve alumni and local communities through the Vidyanjali platform — a DoSEL initiative that connects volunteers and supporters with government and aided schools. Panchayati Raj Institutions are also being engaged to help local schools upgrade and maintain their infrastructure.
Beyond school-level improvements, the campaign also aims to enhance efficiency in governance. Government offices are reviewing, categorising, and clearing obsolete physical and digital records, while systematically indexing and digitising important files. This process is expected to declutter offices, optimise space, and improve workflow management.
The Department of School Education and Literacy is coordinating with all stakeholders to make cleanliness, participation, and efficiency integral to school operations. The Ministry envisions the campaign as a step towards creating cleaner campuses, more efficient systems, and a stronger sense of ownership within the education ecosystem.
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has launched a new educational module titled ‘Swadeshi’, aiming to instil the values of self-reliance and national pride among school students. The initiative aligns with the vision of building an Atmanirbhar Bharat and draws inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address on the 79th Independence Day.
The Swadeshi Module highlights the broader meaning of self-reliance, extending beyond trade and economics to include confidence, innovation, and national capability. It recalls the Prime Minister’s message that self-reliance is directly linked to a nation’s strength and ability to progress, emphasising that a decline in self-reliance can lead to a loss of capability and confidence.
Tracing its roots to India’s freedom struggle, the module revisits the 1905 Bengal Partition, when Indians boycotted British goods and turned towards indigenous products. It portrays the Swadeshi movement as both an act of resistance and a creative force that gave rise to Indian industries and enterprises.
According to NCERT, the new module encourages students to see Swadeshi not just as a historical concept but as a living philosophy that continues to shape India’s modern identity. It connects the values of the freedom movement with today’s national initiatives such as Make in India, Start-up India, Digital India, Vocal for Local, and Atmanirbhar Bharat. Each of these programmes, the module explains, reinforces India’s pursuit of self-reliance through innovation, entrepreneurship, and local production.
By introducing this module, NCERT aims to nurture a generation of students who understand the importance of creating, producing, and innovating within India, fostering both self-belief and collective national responsibility.
Saahas, a Delhi-based non-profit organisation founded by Class 11 student Navya Mrig of The Ram School, Moulsari, Gurugram, is creating awareness about organ donation and working to counter myths that prevent families from giving timely consent.
Established in 2024, Saahas focuses on every aspect of organ donation, particularly deceased organ donation where family approval must be granted quickly. The organisation highlights that hesitation and misinformation often stop families from making decisions that could save lives.
To address this, Saahas conducts workshops, myth-busting talks, and seminars in schools, resident welfare associations, hospitals, and workplaces. These sessions explain processes such as brain-stem death certification and the role of family consent in simple, clear terms. Each session concludes with practical guidance, ensuring participants leave with both knowledge and actionable steps.
The initiative has also developed resource kits with slide decks, facilitator notes, QR-linked checklists, and referral contacts to make it easier for schools and institutions to host repeatable sessions. Saahas partners with community groups and healthcare institutions to co-host Q&A sessions with clinicians and transplant coordinators, and also honours donor and recipient families through small ceremonies that highlight the impact of organ donation.
At its core, Saahas is designed to bring organ donation discussions into everyday spaces rather than waiting for the urgency of hospital decisions. By focusing on conversations in classrooms, community meetings, and staff rooms, the organisation aims to gradually build a culture where organ donation is better understood and more widely accepted.
Navya’s initiative reflects how young people are increasingly taking up important social causes and contributing to public awareness campaigns with structured, replicable models.
(News Source- ANI)
A recent report by India Today has put the spotlight on the deep contradictions in how India treats its teachers. While the profession is revered in public discourse and celebrated in ceremonies, the reality of poor pay, massive vacancies, and crushing workloads threatens the future of quality education in the country.
The report, authored by Megha Chaturvedi, shares the story of a government school teacher in rural Bihar who manages five grades, multiple subjects, administrative duties, and a long commute — all for a monthly pay of just ₹12,000. It is a picture that repeats across India, where respect is high but reward is missing.
Respect vs Pay
According to UDISE+ 2024–25 data, India’s teaching workforce has crossed 1 crore, with women making up 54.2%. Yet, over 1 million teaching posts remain vacant, concentrated in states like Uttar Pradesh (3.2 lakh) and Bihar (2.2 lakh). More than 1 lakh schools still run with just a single teacher, and some rural institutions report zero enrolment.
Teacher salaries are shockingly unequal. Permanent government teachers may earn ₹35,000 to ₹60,000 per month with benefits, but guest or contractual teachers often earn between ₹6,500 and ₹12,500, with delays stretching into months. Even in metro private schools, where parents pay lakhs in annual fees, teachers may take home just 2–10% of that amount.
International comparisons highlight the gap further. India ranks among the top 10 nations for respect towards teachers, yet falls to the bottom when it comes to pay and working conditions.
The Consequences
Low pay and insecure contracts drive talented graduates away from teaching. Those who stay face burnout from handling multiple grades or excessive administrative duties. Morale suffers when salaries are delayed, creating inequality between well-paid urban private school teachers and struggling rural counterparts. The result is a two-tiered system where students’ learning is directly compromised.
Policy Moves
Some states have taken steps. Karnataka recently raised guest teacher pay to ₹12,000–₹12,500, though teachers demand at least ₹30,000. Bihar and West Bengal have launched recruitment drives to fill thousands of vacancies. But reforms remain piecemeal. The India Today report makes it clear that modest hikes are not enough to match workload or cost of living, and insecurity continues to define contractual positions.
What Needs to Change
India may call its teachers “gurus” but without dignified salaries, stability, and recognition, the profession risks becoming even less attractive to young graduates. For education to thrive, teaching must be seen as a rewarding and respected career. ScooNews has been consistently working to spotlight teacher voices and celebrate educators who innovate against the odds. Yet change cannot come from media or policy alone. We need educators themselves to step up and demand better, and institutions to stop treating education as a business rather than a public service.
A practical way forward would include setting a national minimum pay scale of at least ₹30,000 per month for all full-time teachers, clearing the backlog of 1 million vacancies within the next three years, and ensuring strict timelines for salary disbursement. Governments and boards must invest at least 6% of GDP into education as repeatedly recommended, with a clear allocation for teacher training, well-being, and incentives. Schools must commit a fixed percentage of fee revenue directly to teacher salaries, while also offering pathways for career growth through research, leadership roles, and international exposure.
Teaching is perhaps the most undervalued profession in the nation today. If India is to build a future-ready generation, it must invest in its teachers with the same seriousness it reserves for infrastructure or defence. Respect in words is not enough. Teachers must be valued in pay, dignity, and opportunity.
You can read the full report here.
Education
NCERT to Grant Equivalence to Class 10 and 12 Certificates Across Boards for Admissions and Jobs
The Government of India has entrusted the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) with the responsibility of granting equivalence to Secondary (Class 10) and Senior Secondary (Class 12) certificates issued by different School Education Boards in the country. This equivalence will apply for admissions to higher education institutions and eligibility for employment under the Central and State Governments as well as Union Territories.
The notification, published in the e-Gazette on 6 September 2025 by the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, supersedes the earlier order of 15 November 2021 which had assigned this responsibility to the Association of Indian Universities (AIU).
Under the new arrangement, NCERT will discharge this responsibility through its National Assessment Centre, Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic Development (PARAKH). Established under the provisions of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, PARAKH has been tasked with creating a robust, academically rigorous framework for determining equivalence while upholding the highest educational standards.
The system will apply to all recognised Indian School Boards established by an Act of Parliament or State legislature, by executive orders of the Central or State Governments, or by statutory bodies with the mandate to run school education. By placing the responsibility with NCERT, the government aims to streamline equivalence and reduce complications for students moving between boards.
The notification further clarifies that once NCERT grants equivalence, it will automatically be considered as inter-se parity among all recognised boards in India. This will smoothen student mobility across boards, ensuring that certificates are universally recognised for both academic progression and employment opportunities at the national level.
The Government is working on incorporating skill-based learning into the curriculum of Classes 11 and 12, in line with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan announced the move during the Dakshinapatha Summit 2025 held at the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.
Pradhan emphasised that India’s education system needs a paradigm shift, moving beyond degree and certificate-oriented models to competency-based approaches. “We are on the job to introduce skill-based curriculum of Class 11 and 12,” he said, underlining the importance of preparing students for a rapidly evolving world of work.
According to the Minister, one of the central recommendations of the NEP 2020 is skill-based education. While previously optional, skilling will now become a formal part of schooling, starting as early as Class 6. The new curriculum will integrate areas such as computer coding, drone technology, and artificial intelligence, alongside conventional subjects like mathematics and languages. “Now, we are planning to introduce skilling also. It is a new era. We have to train our youngsters and align them with the new curriculum structure,” Pradhan explained.
The Minister highlighted examples of innovation emerging from IIT Madras, including student-led startups. He thanked IIT-M Director Kamakoti and his team for promoting and facilitating young talent. He also noted how the NEP has enabled students excelling in fields such as sports and music to access IIT programmes, which were previously out of reach.
Pradhan reiterated that languages play a crucial role in communication, adding that knowledge of multiple languages, including Tamil, reflects India’s cultural and intellectual vibrancy. On the same occasion, he interacted with students from Tamil Nadu government schools who had joined IIT Madras through the ‘IITM for All’ initiative, particularly its four-year online BS Data Science programme.
With over 1.75 lakh startups in India, Pradhan noted that the education system must support a shift from job-seeking to job-creating. He described the NEP 2020 as a philosophical document guiding the country towards the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Source: PTI
The Maharashtra state education department has announced an ambitious plan to send 51 finalists of its school-level science project competitions on an educational tour to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) every year. The initiative, however, still awaits final approval despite having been cleared in principle by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis earlier this year.
Minister of State for School Education Pankaj Bhoyar explained that the move is designed to recognise the efforts of students beyond prize-winning entries. “The state education department organises science project competitions at various levels. While we extend prizes to the best projects, the efforts taken by students who do not win prizes should also be given their due recognition. Therefore, the plan to honour their efforts was formulated,” he said.
According to the proposal, students with the top 21 projects from the tehsil-level competition will be taken to visit a science centre at the division level. Winners of the top 51 projects at the district level will be taken to the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) headquarters in Bengaluru. The final 51 students selected at the state-level competition will be taken on a study tour to NASA. The programme has been named the Chief Minister Vidyarthi Vigyan Vari.
Officials within the department have confirmed that the proposal requires an annual budget of around Rs 3 crore for the NASA trip. While the costs for tehsil and district-level visits will be met through District Planning and Development Council (DPDC) funds, the NASA tour requires state-level approval. “We hope to get clearance soon,” an official said.
The initiative aims to encourage students to pursue scientific research beyond one-off projects and to inspire them through exposure to advanced scientific institutions. “The aim is to encourage students not to stop at one science project but to push them further into the world of scientific research,” Bhoyar said.
In a related move, the state government has recently increased the prize money for the winner of the state-level science project competition from Rs 5,000 to Rs 51,000, underlining its commitment to promoting innovation among young learners.
Education
Ministry of Education launches Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 to Ignite Innovation among School Students
The Ministry of Education today launched the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025, a nationwide innovation movement aimed at engaging school students across India. Organised by the Department of School Education & Literacy (DoSEL) in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, and AICTE, the initiative was formally unveiled with the release of its jingle and logo.
The event was attended by Secretary, Department of School Education & Literacy, Sanjay Kumar; Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau, Dhirendra Ojha; Chairman, AICTE, Prof. T. G. Sitharam; Vice Chairman, AICTE, Abhay Jere; Mission Director, AIM, NITI Aayog, Deepak Bagla; Additional Secretary, DoSEL, Dhiraj Sahu; along with senior officials of the Ministry, Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, and Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti.
Speaking on the occasion, the Education Minister said that the Viksit Bharat Buildathon, the largest-ever school hackathon, would further strengthen grassroots innovation by encouraging students to ideate and develop products around four themes: Vocal for Local, Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swadeshi, and Samriddhi. The initiative is expected to celebrate student-led innovations, drive a new wave of creativity in schools, and position the younger generation as key contributors to a self-reliant and developed India.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, DoSEL, presented a detailed overview of the Buildathon, outlining its potential to nurture innovation at scale across the country.
The Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 aims to inspire creative thinking for national development, foster self-reliance and sustainable growth, engage schools in synchronized innovation, and showcase India’s innovation capabilities globally. The event also aspires to set a potential world record while celebrating young problem-solvers at both national and international platforms. The initiative builds on the success of the School Innovation Marathon 2024, which resulted in programmes such as the Student Innovator Programme (SIP) and the Student Entrepreneurship Programme (SEP), along with patents and startups emerging from Atal Tinkering Labs.
The journey of the Buildathon begins today, September 23, with registrations open until October 6 on the Viksit Bharat Buildathon portal (https://vbb.mic.gov.in/). Schools will then undergo a preparation period from October 6 to October 13, during which teachers will guide student teams through the portal process. Students will subsequently submit their ideas and prototypes online. The highlight of the initiative, the Live Synchronized Innovation Event, will be held on October 13. Final entries will be accepted until October 31, followed by a two-month evaluation period from November 1 to December 31. The results and felicitation of the top 1,000 winners will be announced in January 2026.
A video on the Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025 was screened during the launch, showcasing its themes and objectives.
As we approach closer to International Day of Democracy on 15 September, I note that too often it feels like a ceremonial date, there in the calendar, acknowledged in our social media posts or a few articles but rarely lived. This year feels different because of what we are witnessing just across the border in Nepal.
Over the past week, the country’s young people have stepped onto the streets in a movement that has already become one of the most remarkable democratic awakenings of recent times. Their demand is clear: an end to corruption and the beginning of accountable governance. What makes this moment extraordinary is not only the courage to speak up but the way in which they have chosen to act. They have nominated their own candidate for the prime minister’s office. They are marching in huge numbers yet also bending down to collect trash after the rallies. They are organising traffic, repairing roads, giving first aid to strangers. They are not tearing down a nation, they are stitching it back together in full public view.
This is the generation that adults so often accuse of being lethargic, self-absorbed, or distracted by screens. In Nepal, the same generation has shown that democracy can be reclaimed and rebuilt when the young decide to act with clarity and purpose. They are proving that democracy is not just a system of elections and slogans. It is a lived responsibility where every citizen must carry their share of the weight.
Modern protests look very different from those of the past. They are no longer confined to placards and sit-ins. They are physical and digital at once, fuelled by the energy of young people who know how to use social media not only to amplify outrage but also to organise, to mobilise, and to build communities of action.
The world has seen hashtags rise and fade like shooting stars. Nepal’s youth have gone beyond that. They are grounding their protest in discipline, service, and responsibility. That is what makes it impossible to ignore.
And why should this matter to us across the border?
For educators in India, there is a powerful reminder here. Democracy is only as strong as the awareness of its youngest citizens. A classroom that teaches civics as a dry subject but does not teach students how to live its values is missing the point. Critical thinking, civic sense, and media literacy are no longer optional add-ons. They are survival skills in a democracy that must constantly defend itself against apathy, misinformation, and abuse of power.
The message is not that Indian students must take to the streets at the first sign of discontent. The message is that they must never take their rights for granted. They must understand that those in power are always less powerful than the power of the people. Questioning authority with responsibility, demanding accountability without violence, and raising their voice when it matters most are not acts of rebellion. They are the beating heart of democracy.
Teachers, parents, and institutions often worry that if children are taught to question, they will lose respect for authority. Nepal’s youth are showing us that the opposite is true. When young people learn how to question responsibly, they do not weaken democracy. They strengthen it. They protect it. They ensure that it does not become an empty word.
On this International Day of Democracy, Nepal’s streets are giving us a lesson no textbook can. Democracy is not a static gift handed down by leaders. It is a daily act of participation, awareness, and responsibility. If we want India’s democracy to remain alive and resilient, our classrooms must prepare young people not only to dream about their future but also to defend the principles that make that future possible.
The tightening of student visa policies in the US and UK has created understandable anxiety among Indian families.
In the UK, the Graduate Route visa may be reduced from two years to 18 months for undergraduates and master’s graduates, while doctoral students may keep three years. Most taught master’s students can no longer bring dependents, the country has raised proof of funds by over 11%, moved to digital e-visas and tightened university compliance.
The US has proposed limiting the F-1 visa to a fixed four-year term, requiring extensions for longer programmes such as PhDs. Interview waivers have been eliminated, and third-country applications are no longer permitted. Backlogs at Indian consulates have worsened, and a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee will soon add to costs.
While complex, these changes reflect a global trend: governments are balancing immigration management with continued student flows. For Indian applicants, this means approaching the process with a sharper focus and stronger preparation.
What these changes mean for Indian students
The proposed cut of the Graduate Route visa to 18 months may cause concern, but this timeframe is enough to build career foundations, especially for students who engage early with employers. Restrictions on dependants may deter older applicants, but younger students will still find the UK attractive. The move to digital e-visas actually simplifies the verification process, while higher proof of funds requirements will require earlier financial planning. Additionally, English language changes should not affect Indian applicants, who already meet or exceed the required standards.
In the US, the proposed four-year F-1 limit introduces uncertainty for PhD students; yet, the country still offers unmatched academic choices, world-class research opportunities, and globally valued degrees. The loss of interview waivers, the ban on third-country applications and the new fee add costs and delays, but with early planning and budgeting, these hurdles are manageable. For many families, the academic ecosystem, extensive networks and long-term career benefits of a US education outweigh the administrative challenges.
How admissions counsellors and schools can guide students
Schools and counsellors now have a greater responsibility. Planning must begin early, whether preparing for tests, selecting courses or booking visa appointments, so backlogs and rule changes cause less disruption. Financial planning is equally critical, as higher UK proof of funds and new US fees make it essential to understand costs well in advance. Counsellors should also help students think long term, making strategic academic and career choices while exploring alternatives beyond the US and UK. With preparation and broad awareness, families can navigate uncertainty without losing sight of their goals.
Looking beyond the US and UK
These changes should not deter Indian families from considering the US or UK. Both remain prestigious destinations with world-class academic ecosystems. At the same time, I encourage families to keep alternatives in mind. Canada, Ireland, Australia and parts of Europe offer attractive post-study work options, while Singapore, Japan and the UAE are emerging as strong contenders closer to home.
In fact, at The Red Pen, pre-COVID, we saw families looking at an average of two destinations. This has now moved to 3.2. Keeping options open is a good idea.
Students can also explore new-age Indian universities such as Ashoka, Krea, Plaksha, FLAME and Jindal, which offer programmes on par with international standards. In addition, 12 global universities are opening campuses in India. While Deakin University, Wollongong University and the University of Southampton are already established, new entrants from 2026 include the Illinois Institute of Technology, University of Liverpool, Queen’s University Belfast, Coventry University, University of York, University of Western Australia, University of Aberdeen, Istituto Europeo di Design and Western Sydney University.
While tighter visa rules demand careful planning, expert guidance ensures that international education remains firmly within reach.
This article is authored by-
Namita Mehta- President and Partner, The Red Pen
Namita drives business growth and global partnerships at The Red Pen, representing the firm at international education forums and building key alliances, including a landmark collaboration with U.S. News & World Report. Recognised among BW Education’s 40 Under 40 and The PIE’s 50 Voices in Leadership, she has twice been shortlisted for the HerRising Awards. Namita has judged the PIE Education Awards, spoken at HSBC, Ashoka University, IC3 and Master’s Union, and contributed to leading publications such as Economic Times, Mint, Hindustan Times and The PIE News. She also serves on the advisory board of The Outreach Collective.
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