New Delhi: A decade-long Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative by NMDC Limited is supporting a residential school in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh, providing education, accommodation and other support to children from communities affected by Left-wing extremism (LWE).
Aastha Vidya Mandir, also known as Aastha Gurukul, is located in Jawanga’s Education City and currently accommodates around 1,300 students from Class I to XII. The institution is administered by the Chhattisgarh government, while NMDC’s CSR support has helped develop the school’s infrastructure and continues to meet a significant share of its operational requirements.
The initiative represents a long-term CSR intervention in a region historically affected by conflict, with the focus extending beyond the construction of a school campus to supporting its continued educational and residential operations.
Aastha Gurukul Provides Education and Residential Support
Aastha Vidya Mandir was launched in 2013 with NMDC providing CSR funding for the development of its infrastructure.
The residential school follows the CBSE curriculum and provides students with education and accommodation within the same campus. This model is particularly relevant for children from remote villages and areas where access to educational infrastructure has historically been limited.
The campus currently accommodates around 1,300 students, covering classes from primary level through Class XII.
Key features of the school include:
- Residential facilities for boys and girls
- Technology-enabled classrooms
- Smart-screen systems for classroom teaching
- An auditorium with a capacity of more than 1,000 students
- Residential and educational facilities under one campus
- Counselling support for students affected by violence
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More Than Half of Students Linked to LWE-Affected Communities
The school gives priority to children from communities affected by LWE-related violence in Dantewada and the wider Bastar region.
More than half of the students are estimated to have been directly or indirectly affected by violence linked to LWE.
Special priority is given to:
- Children orphaned due to LWE-related violence
- Children whose parents were involved in the insurgency
- Students from conflict-affected areas
- Children from remote communities in Dantewada and Bastar
Admission under the special priority criteria is based on official documentation.
According to Principal Ravindra Panigrahi, documents considered include police certification confirming that an area has been affected by LWE activity and FIR records relating to the death of a family member.
NMDC’s CSR Support Extends Beyond Infrastructure
NMDC’s involvement in Aastha Gurukul goes beyond one-time capital expenditure for building the school.
The company’s CSR support also contributes to the continuing operations of the institution, with annual operational expenditure estimated at around ₹3.5 crore.
This continuing financial support helps sustain the residential and educational ecosystem required to accommodate students throughout their school years.
Principal Ravindra Panigrahi said that the school’s operations are funded through NMDC CSR support, while its administration remains with the state government in Education City.
“The operations are funded by NMDC CSR and administration is with the state government in the Education City,” Panigrahi said.
He also highlighted the use of smart-screen systems in classrooms, allowing students to learn through technology-enabled teaching methods.
Government-Corporate Partnership Supports Education
The institutional arrangement at Aastha Gurukul brings together the roles of the Chhattisgarh government and NMDC.
While the state government oversees the administration and educational functioning of the institution, NMDC’s CSR funding supports infrastructure and ongoing operations.
This arrangement allows the CSR intervention to function as a sustained social infrastructure programme rather than a one-time development project.
For students arriving from remote and conflict-affected areas, the residential model provides access to schooling, accommodation and technology within a single campus.
Counselling and Exposure to Professionals
The school’s intervention extends beyond conventional classroom education.
Students affected by violence receive counselling support from experts to help them deal with the challenges associated with their circumstances.
The institution also organises interactions with IAS officers and other accomplished professionals through lectures and other programmes. Such engagements provide students with exposure to different career paths and experiences beyond their immediate surroundings.
The combination of academic education, residential support, counselling and professional interactions is intended to provide students with a broader learning environment.
CSR Focused on Long-Term Social Outcomes
The Aastha Gurukul initiative reflects a broader approach to CSR in conflict-affected regions, where sustained support can play a role in strengthening social infrastructure and human capital.
Rather than limiting CSR intervention to the construction of physical facilities, NMDC’s continuing support contributes to the operation and maintenance of the educational ecosystem.
More than a decade after its launch, the campus has developed into a residential school serving around 1,300 children, many of whom come from families and communities affected by conflict.
The longer-term impact of the initiative will depend not only on the infrastructure created through CSR funding, but also on the educational, professional and social opportunities available to students after completing their schooling.
A Long-Term Investment in Human Capital
For NMDC, Aastha Gurukul represents a continuing CSR investment in education and human capital development in one of Chhattisgarh’s historically conflict-affected regions.
The partnership with the state government provides a framework in which public administration and corporate CSR support work together to sustain a residential educational institution.
The initiative also highlights how long-term CSR commitments can support institutions that address educational access and social development needs in communities facing difficult circumstances.
About NMDC
NMDC Limited is a Navratna public sector enterprise under the Ministry of Steel and India’s largest iron ore producer. The company is engaged in mineral exploration and mining and undertakes CSR initiatives in areas including education, healthcare, infrastructure, livelihoods and community development around its operational regions.
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