Gurukul: Making formal education accessible

Launched in 1999, Gurukul is the scholarship project of Literacy India, aimed at sponsoring students who otherwise do not have access to formal education and career opportunities. The project was designed to provide a support system to the underprivileged sections of society. Lack of access to basic education, social evils such as child marriages, parents’ inability to aid their children in learning, transportation challenges, and non-acceptance of the significance of education were the major driving issues that led to the birth of Gurukul. Meritorious and motivated students are handpicked and provided with full-fledged financial support for higher secondary education at English medium private and government schools such as the Rotary Public School, St Soldier Schools and Mount School. Additionally, support has been extended to students who wish to pursue job-oriented professional courses in areas such as fashion designing, interior decoration, and a master’s in business administration. The selection parameters include student’s performance in final examinations, an independent test, and teacher’s recommendation. As of now, 239 students including 128 tribal children across 7 centers in Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, West Bengal & IIT Campus of Delhi, Roorkee, Bombay & Madras have been benefitted so far.

The project primarily focusses on the tribal communities of India, as they fail to receive most of the benefits of overall development. For instance, the Purulia center works closely with scheduled tribal communities such as Singh Mura, Mundari, Birhor, Santhal, Khariya, and Lohora tribal community. Literacy India is endeavoring to upgrade the literacy levels, boost self-confidence and aid in the empowerment of such communities.

Constant engagement with the relatives of beneficiaries and collaboration with 14 schools and colleges in the Purulia region are some of the many stepping-stones to accomplish the mission. A dedicated lab for the Gurukul beneficiaries has made a huge difference to their performances. Regular language coaching has assisted students in the transition to private and government schools. Collaboration with the online Khan Academy and Duolingo has resulted in drastic improvements in subjects like Mathematics and Science. Literacy India has associated with the WIT (Women in Technology) movement that encourages young girls to take up engineering and counsels them to continue education despite resistance from society. In 2019, 12 young girls from humble backgrounds got admission in IIT-Delhi, IIT-Roorkee, IIT-Mumbai and IIT Chennai. The centre has also partnered with KIKI Technology Institute, Manesar, Pavitra Institute of Technology and Vivo Healthcare for various technical courses and job placements. Five students cracked the Institute’s entrance examination ensuring a secure future for themselves.

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