Dehradun, August 25, 2025 | Solitaire Premier Hotel
In line with the vision of India@2047, a crucial workshop titled “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat: Schooling—Building Blocks” was organized today at Solitaire Premier Hotel, Dehradun. The program was held under the direction of Ravinath Raman, Secretary, Education, Uttarakhand, with the objective of preparing a state-specific note on Uttarakhand to be presented at the 5th National Chief Secretaries Conference.
The event began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony performed by Ravinath Raman, who, in his keynote address, urged participants to provide the best and most achievable solutions to address the challenges faced by Uttarakhand’s education sector. He stressed the importance of practical ideas that could strengthen the foundation of schooling in the state and align with the broader national vision of a Viksit Bharat.
During the workshop, Bandana Garbyal, Director of Academic Research and Training, Uttarakhand, addressed the participants and highlighted the importance of compiling the most effective solutions into a consolidated note. Dr. Mukul Kumar Sati, Director of Secondary Education, also spoke on the urgent need to improve access and quality in schools across the state.
Kuldeep Gairola, Additional Project Director of Samagra Shiksha Uttarakhand, shared his insights on innovative approaches to overcome systemic challenges. The meet was hosted on behalf of Samagra Shiksha by Ajeet Bhandari, Deputy Director, while the proceedings were anchored by Dr. Bhagwati Maindoli, who ensured smooth coordination throughout the sessions.
The workshop was not limited to government officers alone. Faculty members from SCERT Uttarakhand, representatives of NGOs, and leaders from private schools also participated actively, making the dialogue inclusive and comprehensive.
A total of ten groups were formed to deliberate upon the pressing challenges in Uttarakhand’s education system. Each group presented their analysis and suggested solutions to address issues such as the impact of migration on school enrollment, uneven teacher deployment, lack of infrastructure in remote areas, absence of career counseling mechanisms, and limited access to digital learning resources.
Some of the possible solutions presented included the strengthening of pre-primary education, creating support communities for migrant children, rationalizing or clustering schools for effective management, building robust monitoring systems, expanding digital education, and fostering partnerships with NGOs and CSR initiatives.
In her closing remarks, Bandana Garbyal emphasized that all the valuable suggestions emerging from this workshop should be compiled by the SPO team and presented at the upcoming 5th National Chief Secretaries Conference. She underlined that Uttarakhand’s education agenda must strongly contribute to the national roadmap for India@2047 and become a key driver in the mission of Viksit Bharat.
The workshop concluded with a shared commitment among all stakeholders to transform Uttarakhand’s schooling system into a strong building block for human capital development and to ensure that every child in the state is equipped to be part of a progressive and developed India by 2047.
Group Discussions on Challenges and Solutions
Migration and its impact on school enrollment
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Teacher deployment and professional development
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Lack of infrastructure and digital access in remote areas
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Curriculum adaptation for migrant children
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Career counseling and vocational education gaps
The groups also came forward with possible solutions, including:
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Strengthening pre-primary education
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Establishing resource communities for migrant children
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Effective school rationalization and clustering
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Enhancing digital education and monitoring systems
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Partnerships with NGOs, CSR initiatives, and community engagement
