No textbooks: Students to ‘run’ Gram Sabha in Jharkhand schools

Students of Classes IX to XII in government schools across Jharkhand will soon swap classrooms for a simulated village council, donning the roles of sarpanch, ward members, panchayat secretaries and local health workers to experience how a Gram Sabha functions.

The initiative, called the Model Youth Gram Sabha (MYGS), is being implemented by the Jharkhand Education Project Council (JEPC) in collaboration with the School of Excellence Panchayati Raj (SOEPR) and the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj (NIRDPR).

The programme aims to introduce students to grassroots democracy, participatory governance and civic responsibility through hands-on learning. In the first phase, students from 248 PM SHRI schools across the state will participate in the initiative from October 2.

During the sessions, students will assume different roles and deliberate on community issues, discuss priorities and take part in simulated democratic decision-making. The exercise is designed to help them understand how local communities identify problems and arrive at collective solutions.

“By bringing the concept of Gram Sabha into the school setting, the programme seeks to build awareness of Panchayati Raj institutions while encouraging students to develop leadership, communication, collaboration and problem-solving skills,” said Badal Raj, district superintendent of education.

He said placing the Gram Sabha at the centre of experiential learning would allow students to understand local governance beyond textbooks.

Teachers have also undergone training to facilitate MYGS activities.

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