UP's 'Learning by Doing' Push: ₹40,000 Each for 586 PM SHRI Schools

The materials will make sure schools have what they need for activity-based teaching, so that children become active participants in the classroom.

"Engaging, Participatory, Aligned With Curiosity"

Minister of State for Basic Education Sandeep Singh said, "Through 'Learning by Doing', the children will get opportunities to learn via experimentation and experience. Our endeavour is to make the learning process engaging, participatory, and aligned with the children's curiosity."

How It Will Work in Class

• Students will learn concepts through activities, experiments and direct experience, rather than only reading.
• The aim is to bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and practical understanding.
• The Education department will monitor how materials are used and document activities.
• Lessons from past activities will be used to improve future ones.

Why It Matters: Model Schools Need Real Classrooms

PM SHRI is a centrally sponsored scheme meant to develop more than 14,500 exemplar schools aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, with a total outlay of ₹27,360 crore from 2022–23 to 2026–27. Experiential learning is a core part of the scheme, with PM SHRI schools also promoting activities such as bagless days.

But a model school is only as good as what happens in its classrooms. Experiments need materials, and activity-based teaching needs supplies that schools often lack. By setting aside a fixed amount for each school, UP is putting money behind the pedagogy that NEP promotes.

There is also a timing factor. The scheme's funding period runs till 2026–27, after which states are responsible for maintaining the standards these schools achieve. That makes it important for states to build lasting habits of hands-on teaching now, rather than one-time purchases.

The Bigger Picture

Under PM SHRI, a maximum of two schools, one elementary and one secondary or senior secondary, are selected in every block. These schools are meant to act as examples for others nearby. If "Learning by Doing" works well in UP's 586 schools, it could serve as a model for the many thousands of other government schools in the state.

The Bottom Line

₹40,000 per school is a modest sum, but it targets a real gap: giving students the materials to experiment, build and explore. The real test will be whether teachers make hands-on learning a daily routine, not just an occasional activity.

With inputs from IANS.