From Foundations to Flight: How Haryana's Education Revolution is Transforming Young Lives

Imagine a classroom where kids stumble over simple words or can’t add two numbers together. For years, this has been the sobering reality for millions of children across India, leaving them lost before they even had a chance to dream big. This educational crisis threatened not just individual futures, but our nation's progress. The COVID-19 pandemic only deepened this crisis, amplifying fears of irreversible learning loss.

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When the National Education Policy 2020 highlighted foundational literacy and numeracy (reading, writing, and basic math) as the bedrock of learning, Haryana responded decisively. In July 2021, following the launch of the NIPUN Bharat mission (National Initiative for Proficiency in Reading with Understanding and Numeracy), the state launched the NIPUN Haryana  mission with a simple, urgent promise: that every child in a government school would gain the reading, writing, and math skills Four years later, this mission isn’t just a policy initiative, but has evolved into a remarkable story that deserves national attention.

From the beginning, NIPUN Haryana set out to catch kids early. The mission brought preschool called Balvatika III, into over 8,600 primary schools, enrolling more than 86,000 five-year-olds in 2024-25. Through playful tools like learning kits, rhymes, and the Vidya Pravesh school readiness program, these children are beginning their education with joy and confidence. The state has also set up 119 model Balvatikas, one in every educational block, to serve as beacons for high-quality early learning.

But it didn’t stop there. The mission extends from these early learners all the way up to Grade 5, covering every child between the ages of 5 and 11. Children receive fun, easy-to-use textbooks and workbooks each year, along with structured teaching learning materials designed with inputs from the National Curriculum Framework and adapted for Haryana, making learning feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.

But tools alone don’t create change, teachers do. Over 35,000 teachers have been intensively trained face-to-face for over 140 hours, learning new ways to make lessons stick. They’re not left on their own afterward either. Online asynchronous learning courses on platforms like DIKSHA keep them sharp, and monthly meetups called Shala Sangams let them swap ideas with peers.

Then there’s the ‘mentors’, over 1,500 of them, who drop into classrooms each month. They watch, guide, and cheer teachers on, using a customised ‘NIPUN Haryana’ app to log what they see. With more than 7,400 school visits, and more than 1 lac spot assessments of students a month, this isn’t about pointing fingers; it’s about building a team that lifts every child up.

So how do we know it’s working?

Haryana checks, and it checks smart. In September 2024, a large third-party survey,aligned with international research standards, tested 22,708 students across 1,187 schools in Haryana. The findings highlighted which areas and skills kids are acing, and where they still need a hand. It’s not just data; it’s a map to keep getting better. The results of this study also track well to that of the ASER 2024 report: Haryana’s Grade 3 students in government schools jumped from 26.1% in numeracy in 2022 to 33.1% in 2024, beating the national average. Grade 5 kids are reading and calculating above India’s benchmarks too. These aren't just statistics. They represent children who can now speak with confidence, read stories to their families, calculate change at shops, and approach learning with newfound confidence. For many families, especially those with limited education themselves, watching their children master these skills represents nothing short of transformation

Technology has been a quiet but powerful enabler in this transformation. From internet-enabled smart tablets in the hands of every teacher and mentor to mobile apps that simplify classroom observations and lesson planning, digital tools are helping teachers, parents, and administrators pull in the same direction. ensuring accountability and enabling timely interventions, so no one is left guessing. Soon, Holistic Progress Cards will give families a fuller picture of their child’s development - not just academic scores, but skills, strengths, and growth over time.

Yet NIPUN Haryana's greatest achievement may be how it's turning education into a community celebration. Through initiatives like NIPUN Raftar (reading competitions) and NIPUN Ramleela (dramatizations of lessons), learning has become something families discuss at the dinner table. Parents receive updates via key mission-related info via diverse channels, bridging the traditional gap between school and home.

Beyond impressive statistics and policy frameworks lies the quiet, persistent work of dedicated teams of state officials, district FLN coordinators, and partner organisation members who have invested thousands of hours directly in districts and blocks. These teams conduct classroom observations, make regular school visits, hold face-to-face meetings with local officials, support teacher trainings, and participate in district reviews, ensuring the mission reaches every classroom rather than remaining trapped in bureaucratic offices. This hands-on approach reflects the program's core philosophy: educational transformation requires not just well-designed policies but genuine partnership, sustained presence, and unflagging perseverance where it matters most; in the daily lives of students and teachers.

At the heart of NIPUN Haryana is a strong emphasis on community mobilisation and parental engagement, recognising that lasting educational change requires a collective effort. From local raginis and radio shows to school exhibitions and student-led storytelling, the mission has found creative ways to connect with families. These efforts have sparked grassroots ownership, turning every home and classroom into a partner in learning.

The international education community has taken notice. At the recent Comparative and International Education Society Conference in Chicago, Haryana's model drew significant attention. The mission has also earned academic respect by being showcased at top-tier venues like the World Bank, George Mason University, and national research conferences held by leading universities such as Azim Premji University. It has received the prestigious Haryana Chief Minister’s Good Governance Award twice (2022 and 2024) and hosted delegations from several countries and Indian states seeking to learn from its approach.

Four years in, NIPUN Haryana isn’t perfect, but it’s proof of what’s possible when a state decides every child matters. It’s not about fancy slogans but about textbooks in kids’ hands, teachers who feel supported, and parents who see their kids light up with pride. As India works toward achieving the ambitious goals of NEP 2020, Haryana offers valuable lessons: start early, invest in teachers, use technology wisely, involve communities, and continuously measure results. The state has demonstrated that educational transformation isn't about grand pronouncements but sustained, methodical effort.

For the children of Haryana, especially those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds who might have otherwise slipped through the cracks, NIPUN Haryana represents far more than a government program. It’s the difference between a future constrained by illiteracy and one opened up by possibility. As the state steps into NIPUN Haryana 2.0, the mission is shifting gear, from expanding access to deepening outcomes, from delivering content to unlocking learning. Haryana is no longer catching up, but is setting the pace. And that’s a revolution worth celebrating.

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