Dronacharya
Programme.
“Strengthening the teachers already shaping the school.”
The Nanhe Kalam Fellowship demonstrated what sustained academic support can do for students. The next question was how this approach could reach many more children without building a parallel structure outside the government education system.
The Dronacharya Programme, launched in 2022–23, takes SRI's pedagogy and curriculum into government schools by working directly with government teachers and state education systems.
The programme partners with state governments to identify and support teachers working with students in Classes 4 and 5. Selected teachers receive training in SRI's pedagogy, curriculum and methods for preparing students for residential school entrance examinations. They are also equipped with academic resources and ongoing support to apply these approaches in their own classrooms.
Strengthening the Teacher, Strengthening the School
The teacher remains at the centre of the model. Rather than creating a separate intervention for a small group of students, Dronacharya helps teachers identify students with potential, strengthen foundational learning, introduce structured examination preparation and provide students with the support they need within their regular school environment.
This makes the programme fundamentally different from a standalone coaching model. The knowledge, tools and practices become part of the school itself.
Dronacharya is designed as a system-strengthening model: build the capacity of teachers, strengthen classroom practice, and make pathways to opportunity more accessible to students within the government school system.
One Teacher. One School. More Children with the Opportunity to Go Further.
The model builds on something that already exists in every government school: a teacher who knows the children and is there every day.
Through Dronacharya, teachers receive training in SRI's pedagogy and curriculum, along with the academic resources and assessment tools needed to apply these approaches in their classrooms.
They learn to strengthen foundational skills in Mathematics, Language and Reasoning, understand where students need additional support, and introduce structured preparation for residential school entrance examinations.
The teacher remains at the centre of the process. As their skills and confidence grow, they are better equipped to recognise potential, support different learning needs and help more children prepare for opportunities beyond their immediate surroundings.
The idea is simple: strengthen the teacher, and the support can reach many more children.
The Dronacharya Difference
How Dronacharya Works
Partner with the Government
SRI works with state education systems to introduce the Dronacharya model within government schools.
Identify Teachers
Teachers working with Classes 4–5 are selected to participate in the programme.
Train & Equip
Teachers receive training in SRI's pedagogy and curriculum, along with the academic resources required for implementation.
Apply in the Classroom
Teachers integrate foundational learning and structured residential-school preparation into their regular teaching.
Identify & Support Students
Teachers identify students with potential, understand their learning needs and provide targeted academic support.
Strengthen the System
The practices, resources and capabilities remain within the government school, creating a model that can reach more students through the existing education system.
Dronacharya Programme
Students Reached
Teachers Trained
States Covered
Districts Reached
Where We Work
Stories from the Field
Kalpana's Journey: From Self-Doubt to Opportunity
Kalpana was an average student from a modest family in Uttarakhand. Her mother always prioritised her education, while her father worked in another state.
During a visit by the Block Education Officer, Kalpana knew the answers to the questions being asked. But she struggled to speak in front of students from an English-medium school, and her lack of confidence began to affect how she saw herself.
Her mother encouraged her with a simple thought: those who truly want to learn can learn anywhere.
Kalpana was introduced to SRI through her teacher. With SRI's books and test series, she found a more structured way to prepare. Over the next three years, she grew steadily, both academically and personally.
She was eventually selected for Him Jyoti Residential School in Dehradun as well as Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya.
Kalpana's journey shows how structured learning resources, encouragement and the support of a teacher can help a child move from self-doubt towards new opportunities.
Voices from the Classroom
“We always wanted our children to move ahead, but we did not have the right books or the right teaching methods. With SRI's support, we now have workbooks, better teaching approaches, and the guidance to reach every child. I believe this support will help our children achieve better results in the coming years.”
Uma Rani
Teacher, Haridwar
Support the Dronacharya Programme.
Help us train more teachers, reach more classrooms, and give more children the preparation they deserve.