India’s transformation into a developed nation by 2047, the centennial vision of Viksit Bharat, rests fundamentally on the success of its educational revolution. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the government has undertaken the most comprehensive overhaul of India’s education system since independence, embedding student-centric policies that are already yielding measurable results across the world’s largest democracy. From groundbreaking teacher training programmes reaching over 400,000 educators to financial support schemes protecting the most vulnerable learners, these initiatives represent policy reforms and constitute the scaffolding upon which India’s future prosperity will be built.

The scope of this transformation becomes clear when examining the infrastructure and access improvements achieved over the past decade. School dropout rates have plummeted from 9.1% to 1.5%, whilst primary enrolment has surged from 84% to 96%. The teacher-pupil ratio has improved dramatically from 42:1 to 24:1, and basic infrastructure has reached unprecedented levels: 98.4% of schools now have drinking water, 97.1% have girls’ toilets, and 85.1% have electricity coverage.

The National Education Policy 2020 stands as perhaps the most ambitious educational reform in India’s modern history, fundamentally restructuring how the nation conceives learning and development. Moving beyond the traditional 10 2 system, NEP 2020 introduced a research-backed 5 3 3 4 framework that aligns educational stages with child development patterns. It represents a philosophical shift towards competency-based, multilingual, and experiential learning that recognises the diverse needs of India’s student population.

The policy’s human impact becomes tangible through specific interventions that have reached millions. The NIPUN Bharat mission, focused on foundational literacy and numeracy, has covered 4.2 crore students across 8.9 lakh schools, establishing the critical learning foundation that will support all subsequent educational achievements. Early results are promising: target schools have seen literacy rates rise from 58% to 70%, though challenges remain with only 48% of Class 3 students in government schools achieving age-appropriate reading levels.

The policy’s commitment to inclusivity manifests through targeted support for marginalised communities. Over 1.15 lakh students from socio-economically disadvantaged groups (SEDG) now benefit from residential school programmes, whilst 7.58 lakh girls have enrolled in Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs). These institutions, expanded from Classes 6-8 to 6-12, provide not just academic education but comprehensive support, including vocational training, life skills development, and safe residential facilities for girls from SC, ST, OBC, and minority communities.

Recognition that educational quality ultimately depends on teacher capability has driven one of the world’s largest professional development initiatives. The National Initiative for School Heads’ and Teachers’ Holistic Advancement (NISHTHA) has trained over 4 lakh teachers across multiple phases, fundamentally altering how education is delivered in Indian classrooms. It incorporates 18 activity-based modules that address a range of topics, from ICT integration to inclusive pedagogy and child psychology.

The programme’s digital delivery through the DIKSHA platform has ensured continuous professional development even during the pandemic, demonstrating the government’s adaptability in maintaining educational momentum during crisis periods.

The programme’s impact is evident in improved learning outcomes and enhanced teacher confidence in implementing the pedagogical innovations outlined in NEP 2020. Teachers report increased competency in areas such as competency-based assessment, learner-centred pedagogy, and the integration of Indian knowledge systems into modern curricula.

The government’s commitment to leaving no child behind finds its most sophisticated expression in the PRASHAST (Pre-Assessment Holistic Screening Tool) initiative. The mobile application enables schools to conduct comprehensive disability screenings covering all 21 conditions recognised under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. The app generates school-level reports that facilitate early intervention and certification processes, ensuring that children with special needs receive appropriate support within the mainstream education system.

PRASHAST embodies a fundamental shift towards inclusive education that recognises and addresses diverse learning needs. The app’s user-friendly interface allows regular teachers to conduct initial screenings, whilst special educators validate findings and recommend interventions.

The broader digital infrastructure supporting educational transformation has seen remarkable expansion, with 72% of schools now equipped with internet access compared to just 22.3% previously. It enables access to the DIKSHA platform’s 366,370 e-content pieces available in 29 languages, whilst 200 educational TV channels provide content across multiple regional languages, making it one of the largest repositories for public education in the world.

Understanding that financial constraints remain the primary obstacle to educational access, the Modi government has constructed a comprehensive support system addressing needs from early childhood through higher education. The Prime Minister’s Scholarship Scheme (PMSS) exemplifies this approach, providing monthly assistance of ₹3,000 for girls and ₹2,500 for boys from ex-servicemen families, supporting 5,500 children annually with financial aid totalling crores of rupees.

By ensuring that financial constraints don’t prevent the children of those who served the nation from accessing quality education, PMSS demonstrates the government’s commitment to comprehensive welfare provision. The scheme’s expansion to include children of state police personnel martyred in terror attacks further illustrates this principle in action.

Perhaps no initiative better demonstrates the government’s compassionate response to crisis than PM CARES for Children, launched specifically to support children orphaned by COVID-19. The programme provides each beneficiary with a ₹10 lakh corpus available at age 18, monthly stipends from ages 18-23, ₹5 lakh health insurance coverage, and ₹20,000 annual scholarships throughout their school years.

The PM-USP (Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Higher Education) and PM Vidyalaxmi schemes further demonstrate this comprehensive approach to educational financing. Families earning under ₹4.5 lakh annually receive 100% interest subvention on education loans up to ₹10 lakh, whilst those earning up to ₹8 lakh benefit from 3% interest........

© News18