The Ministry of Education (MoE), Government of India has undertaken several initiatives inspired by the ideas and vision highlighted in Prime Minister Modi’s popular programme Mann ki Baat, which has completed 100 episodes. These initiatives are aimed at transforming education in India, and have impacted all sections of society, inspiring them to contribute towards fulfilling the nation’s great goals.
The MoE has identified young artistic talents through Kala Utsav, programs for Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, National Yoga Olympiad, and encouraged toy-based pedagogy for schools to promote traditional Indian toys and games, among other initiatives. These were all inspired by the ideas and concerns raised by the Prime Minister in various episodes of Mann ki Baat.
In one of the episodes, the Prime Minister expressed his concern about the toy industry’s quality and the children’s health issues caused by cheap toys (made of plastic) pouring into the market from unorganized sources. The MoE took this seriously and within two years, through toy-based pedagogy, the message to promote Indian toys has reached every household. The MoE has given space to traditional toys in the school system, with the National Curriculum Framework for Foundational Stage and the Draft National Curriculum Framework for School Education, the learning-teaching materials for Foundational stage, and the Handbook of Toy-Based Pedagogy for all stages and subjects of school education. The MoE has also organized international webinars, national and regional seminars and webinars, toy hackathons, and national toy fairs for school education, including a separate category of Indigenous Toys and Games in Kala Utsav from 2020. This has resulted in the idea of incorporating traditional Indian games and toys into the classroom for school activities being widely accepted.
The Prime Minister has also emphasized the tradition of practicing yoga for mental, physical, and spiritual health from ancient times, and declared 21st June as International Yoga Day on that day in 2015 at the UN General Assembly. The MoE proposed the National Yoga Olympiad for schools under different age groups, and the NCERT has been organizing this 3-day national event from 2016 onwards. Hundreds of students in the age groups of 10-18 years (Class VI-XII) reach the National level starting from school, district, and state level competitions. So far, more than sixteen hundred students have participated.
The MoE has also taken several initiatives to address the mental health and well-being of students, which is a concern of the Prime Minister. The Ministry has launched the Pariksha pe Charcha program, an annual event where the Prime Minister addresses the students to overcome examination stress, and the Manodarpan program since July 2020 to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers, and families for mental health and emotional well-being during COVID-19 and beyond. The MoE has also set up a 24×7 helpline for students, parents, and teachers to address rising mental health concerns.
Overall, the MoE’s initiatives have had a significant impact on the Indian education system, and have brought about positive changes in the lives of students, teachers, and families across the country
