Shiksha

Founded in 2002 by General OP Malhotra, PVSM, Shiksha was established with the mission of providing free educational and vocational training to underp Read morerivileged children and youth. The primary objective is to facilitate the inclusion of children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in the educational process, addressing barriers such as lack of documentation, prior education, social isolation, or financial constraints. The focus is particularly on children of rural migrant workers who constitute a significant portion of the student body. In the initial years, Shiksha adopted government primary schools with inadequate resources, beginning with one in Indira Colony at Jharsa village, Gurugram, in July 2003. The school faced challenges with a single teacher, limited facilities, and 40 children enrolled up to Class V. Shiksha's intervention increased attendance to over 300 students. Government schools in Jacobpura and Rosewood City were similarly adopted, upgraded, and eventually returned to the Haryana Government. Encouraged by positive outcomes, Shiksha rented premises at Mohyal Colony, Jharsa village, in 2006 for its own Education Centre. Following the CBSE syllabus with a focus on the academic needs of migrant workers' children, the centre presently accommodates over 700 students, boasting numerous success stories. Shiksha continues its mission today, welcoming students with no documentation, ensuring they do not miss out on schooling opportunities. In 2010, Shiksha took over a school for rag-pickers in the Wazirabad slum, elevating it to Class V with almost 250 students. In 2013, an Educational Centre was initiated in Chakkarpur village for migrant children who could not be admitted to other local schools, with a successful majority mainstreamed into a nearby government school. In 2018, Shiksha received accreditation from the National Institute of Open Schooling for the Open Basic Education Programme, aiding in mainstreaming children left out of the formal education system. With a growing focus on vocational training since 2016, Shiksha, in collaboration with India Habitat Centre – Habitat Learning Centre, inaugurated a Computer Training Center in Sangam Vihar, one of Asia’s largest unauthorized colonies. Currently, Shiksha provides free vocational training to 350 underprivileged youth across Delhi-NCR, including its location at Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi.