VIKAS SHARMA
JAMMU, NOV 6: Despite being one of the Union Education Ministry’s most visionary initiatives aimed at transforming the education ecosystem through community and professional engagement, the Vidyanjali Programme has failed to serve its purpose in the government schools of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Launched by the Ministry of Education, Government of India, the Vidyanjali portal was designed to bridge the learning gap in government and government-aided schools by connecting them with skilled volunteers, professionals, and retired experts from diverse fields. These volunteers were expected to mentor students, teach co-scholastic subjects, and enhance communication, creativity, and life skills among children.
However, nearly nine years after its inception, the ground reality in J&K paints a dismal picture. Very few schools have come forward to request volunteers or mentors under this flagship scheme. The portal, which enables schools to post their requirements for expert support, remains largely inactive from this region.
Sources in the education sector admit that the majority of principals and heads of institutions are either unaware of Vidyanjali or lack the motivation to explore its potential. In many cases, school heads have heard of the programme but have not made any formal effort to engage mentors for their students.
“This is one of the biggest issues in Jammu and Kashmir’s school education system,” education experts observed. “The Central Government has created a platform where professionals from journalism, IT, healthcare, sports, finance, and arts can voluntarily mentor students across the country through virtual or in-person sessions. Yet, the response from school authorities in J&K has been disappointingly poor. Most principals don’t even attempt to explore this opportunity,” they added.
Experts further pointed out that technical barriers and lack of awareness workshops have widened the gap. “Many school heads neither understand how to operate the portal nor realize that the programme goes beyond classroom teaching. They urgently need orientation and guidance to use Vidyanjali effectively,” they remarked.
They also questioned the accountability of school managements, stressing that it is unfair to blame students for lacking essential skills when the system itself fails to connect them with available resources. “For decades, no serious initiative was taken to enhance students’ skill levels. Now, when the Government of India has introduced a brilliant platform to connect them with mentors, government school heads seem to be sleeping over it,” an expert said bluntly.
At a time when 21st-century skills like communication, media literacy, creativity, and digital fluency are crucial for youth, this lack of participation is a major setback for J&K’s students.
“Unless the School Education Department takes proactive measures to sensitize principals and teachers about the programme’s importance, Vidyanjali will remain another unutilized initiative on paper,” experts cautioned. “If implemented with genuine intent, Vidyanjali could become a game-changer for rural and semi-urban schools in J&K, connecting classrooms with expertise, creativity, and mentorship that the next generation urgently needs.”
