Ritwik Bahuguna is the Director of Farlense Group and Founder of Roots Foundation.
In India, the importance of quality education as a driver of societal progress is widely recognised. Despite increased enrolment rates, significant challenges are affecting the quality of education across the country. According to the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2023, [1] a substantial portion of Indian students lack basic reading and arithmetic skills, indicating a quality gap in education. The report finds that about 25 per cent of the youth (14-18 years) cannot read a Class II level text fluently in their regional language and over 50 per cent struggle with basic division problems. Further, only 57.3 per cent can read sentences in English, and of those, only three-quarters understand their meaning.
At the heart of this issue lies the stark reality of educational inequality, perpetuating cycles of poverty and hindering social mobility as children from marginalised communities and rural areas are particularly vulnerable to receiving substandard education. Infrastructure remains a critical issue in many schools, particularly in rural areas, with more than 60 per cent of schools lacking computers and 90 per cent having no access to internet facilities. Another challenge is the shortage of skilled educators. There is a significant gap between the demand and supply of qualified teachers, leading to a very high student-teacher ratio, further undermining the quality of education.
To address the same, the New Education Policy signals a paradigm shift towards a more inclusive and holistic approach, envisioning an educational framework that nurtures academic excellence and other essential skills. For example, by promoting regular library sessions, students may be encouraged to cultivate a love for reading, research, and independent learning. Through the introduction of Bal Sansads (Children’s Parliaments), activities like debate and community service, students cultivate leadership skills and a sense of civic responsibility.
Project Utkarsh seeks to narrow the digital divide, foster critical thinking skills, and introduce STEM education to improve students’ academic performance and retention rates. It adopts a comprehensive approach to education by focusing on long-term engagement with students to foster lasting relationships and instil analytical thinking through Innovative Learning Centres. STEM workshops nurture creativity and innovation while engaging activities such as summer camps, science expos, and student-led Bal Sansad elections amplify the project’s impact.
However, implementing such initiatives demands collaboration among policymakers, educators, parents, and communities, forging partnerships between government, NGOs, and private sectors for increased efficacy.
As an effort towards the same, we at Roots Foundation collaborated with Acuity Knowledge Partners to initiate Project Utkarsh in 2022. It was implemented across six government schools in the North and South blocks of Mandya in Karnataka.
Project Utkarsh seeks to narrow the digital divide, foster critical thinking skills, and introduce STEM education to improve students’ academic performance and retention rates. It adopts a comprehensive approach to education by focusing on long-term engagement with students to foster lasting relationships and instil analytical thinking through Innovative Learning Centres. STEM workshops nurture creativity and innovation while engaging activities such as 
summer camps, science expos, and student-led Bal Sansad elections amplify the project’s impact. Two hundred and fifty-five students actively participated in the summer camp. Over 80 students nominated themselves for the Bal Sansad position, and the Science Expo attracted over 150 participants.
Starting with a thorough needs analysis and stakeholder engagement, the project sets clear objectives and timelines, regularly assessing progress through midline and end-line evaluations. Significant improvements have been observed, with a 20 per cent increase in academic performance across subjects in Classes II-VII and heightened student interest post-intervention.
With over 1,000 students benefiting from the programme, Project Utkarsh’s trajectory is full of successful stories. Over the past two years, the project has seen a remarkable improvement in students’ overall behaviour, speaking skills, and confidence across grades. Notably, students in Grades III, IV, V, VI, and VII exhibited average increases of 14.4 per cent, 38.5 per cent, 12.7 per cent, 42.2 per cent, and 41.5 per cent, in their assessment scores respectively, reflecting this growth.
One such story is of Brundashree who due to the untimely demise of her mother, had to transition from an English-medium private school to a Kannada-medium one, which left her grappled with language barriers and academic setbacks. Project Utkarsh’s timely intervention improved her academic performance, rekindled her interest in learning and restored her confidence.
A similar challenge arose in GHPS Chikkamandya, where nearly half of the attendees hail from the Urdu-speaking Muslim community, facing significant hurdles in adapting to Kannada and English instruction. The project’s intervention, spearheaded by teacher Tejaswini, has ushered in a positive change. With tailored support and engaging activities integrated into lessons, Tejaswini ensures that students from Urdu backgrounds grasp concepts effectively while building concentration and confidence.
With over 1,000 students benefiting from the programme, Project Utkarsh’s trajectory is full of successful stories. Over the past two years, the project has seen a remarkable improvement in students’ overall behaviour, speaking skills, and confidence across grades. Notably, students in Grades III, IV, V, VI, and VII exhibited average increases of 14.4 per cent, 38.5 per cent, 12.7 per cent, 42.2 per cent, and 41.5 per cent, in their assessment scores respectively, reflecting this growth. To ensure educational equity and quality, the project embodies the spirit of collaboration and attentive care as the road ahead demands tailored solutions, partnerships, and a steadfast commitment to address multifaceted issues.
Our core work is with the agriculture communities in villages across 16 Indian States. Predominantly focused on initiatives related to crop residue management, direct seeding of rice (DSR), farm mechanisation, water conservation, and the promotion of improved farm practices, we have also worked intensively with the communities to train them in the latest and innovative farming techniques, leading to yield maximisation and resource conservation.
Besides the project mentioned above, I would like to provide more information about the initiatives we are involved in. Let me elaborate on them.
Our Focus Areas
Established in 2012, we work with underprivileged communities at the grassroots by conceptualising and implementing bottom-up interventions in Sustainable Agriculture, Sports, Education, Healthcare and Nutrition, Skill Development and Community Development. We have a significant presence in over 18 States and 100+ districts.
Sustainable Agriculture
Our core work is with the agriculture communities in villages across 16 Indian States. Predominantly focused on initiatives related to crop residue management, direct seeding of rice (DSR), farm mechanisation, water conservation, and the promotion of improved farm practices, we have also worked intensively with the communities to train them in the latest and innovative farming techniques, leading to yield maximisation and resource conservation. Our efforts encompass an inclusive approach to sustainable agriculture, addressing key areas that contribute to enhancing farming practices and environmental stewardship.
Impact: Over 10 lakh farmers are trained in good agricultural practices.
Sports
We lead pioneering initiatives in Punjab and Haryana, marking some of the nation’s foremost efforts to uplift underprivileged children in the sports sector. Through our one-of-its-kind Sports Lab project, we provide comprehensive training, equipment, and support, exposing talented students to a diverse range of sports. We aim to propel them to international sports standards, 
enhancing India’s sports prowess globally.
Our project has successfully scouted and brought on board a group of talented athletes as brand ambassadors. Notably, Kiran Godara and Sangeeta Malik, former students of our Project Sports Lab for Haryana, have excelled in their respective sports. Kiran, an Indian freestyle wrestler, secured a bronze medal in the women’s 76kg freestyle wrestling category at the 19th Asian Games 2022 in Hangzhou, China.
Impact: 7,000+ budding sportspersons are provided with a platform to showcase their potential.
Education
We work with the families of adopted communities to render primary education to children in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, etc., by creating a framework of cooperation with existing education providers in these regions to complement their infrastructure and staffing in village-level schools, thus ensuring the best learning.
Our goal extends beyond education. We aim to empower the upcoming rural generation with awareness of employment opportunities and government schemes for rural development. Our focus on Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) bridges the rural-urban language gap, enhances fundamental Math, Science and Language skills among government school children, and emphasises filling learning gaps while strengthening community-level education support.
Impact: Every year, more than 5,000 children attending government schools are empowered with better learning and retention abilities, significantly contributing towards their academic growth and success.
Healthcare and Education
Our Nutritional Security Programme (NSP) targets children under ten years old. We provide them with dairy-based nutritional support, primarily regular milk supply, partnering with local dairies and brands in select geographies in India to execute this programme. In addition to NSP, we facilitate healthcare through Mobile Medical Services for the rural population of Haryana and Rajasthan, fully equipped to cater to deprived communities.
Impact: Over 60,000 rural and urban poor are given primary preventive and curative healthcare in North India annually.
We are dedicated to holistic community development, striving to uplift livelihoods, facilitate access to quality education, and promote health and well-being. In States like Karnataka, our Community Development initiatives focus on elevating communities’ health and literacy standards. We achieve this by appointing teachers, implementing BaLA (Building as a Learning Aid) in schools, enhancing children’s and pregnant women’s health in Anganwadis, and providing essential infrastructure support to intervened schools.
Skill Development
We work closely with our communities for skill development, leading to more employment and entrepreneurial opportunities. The objective is to help communities augment their total family disposal income. Different kinds of vocational training programmes (handicrafts, sewing, stitching, and mechanical work) are rendered to our communities in Uttar Pradesh and other States.
Impact: Over 5,000 women and youth are skilled and provided with entrepreneurship opportunities annually.
Community Development
We are dedicated to holistic community development, striving to uplift livelihoods, facilitate access to quality education, and promote health and well-being. In States like Karnataka, our Community Development initiatives focus on elevating communities’ health and literacy standards. We achieve this by appointing teachers, implementing BaLA (Building as a Learning Aid) in schools, enhancing children’s and pregnant women’s health in Anganwadis, and providing essential infrastructure support to intervened schools.
Impact: More than 3,500 lives have benefited from sustainable livelihoods, improved access to education, and enhanced overall well-being within the community.
As we pursue a brighter, more equitable future, we will continue to dedicate ourselves to promoting livelihoods and acting as a light of positive change, while leading with integrity. We recognise the power of narratives that transcend numbers, connecting the strands of human experience. As we strive for growth, we will continue to construct a society where wealth and fairness coexist and create a future where everyone’s potential is developed, their voices are heard, and every opportunity is made available.
[1] https://asercentre.org/wp-
