https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

When Civil Servants Choose Govt. Schools For Their Children

Bucking the trend, a number of IAS and other officers have started sending their children in anganwadi and government schools. This is doing immense good to these schools- as also to other students who come here from less-privileged families.
Anganwadi School
Indian Masterminds Stories

In India, most middle-class or even lower-middle-class parents strive hard to provide good education to their children. In many social circles, good education is equated with ‘private schools’, and government schools or ‘anganwadi’ schools are looked down upon.

But if a few well-meaning bureaucrats posted in far-flung regions have their way, this mindset is bound to change. There are a number of instances where IAS officers have been deliberately enrolling their children in an anganwadi school. This serves two purposes, at least: it brings the government school on a level playing field with private schools of the area, it also motivates other Government officials to do the same.

Let’s take the case of Ms. Swati Bhaduria, the District Magistrate (DM) of Chamoli in Uttarakhand. A picturesque Himalayan region surrounded with high peaks, vast valleys, and gurgling valleys- the very picture of natural beauty which would take anybody’s breath away in awe- Chamoli however is situated very far from the plains and comforts they provide. In short, life is tough here, despite the natural beauty.

It was in Chamoli that Ms. Bhaduria, a 2012-batch IAS officer decided to admit her son Abhiuday in anganwadi school. As she told Indian Masterminds, “While staying alone with my child in Chamoli, I once visited an Anganwadi school and was amazed to see the children interacting with each other and having a good time by learning new stuff. Abhiuday was a shy kid and used to speak very less before I sent him to an Anganwadi school.”

Ms. Swati Bhadauria with her son Abhiuday (Photo Courtesy: Ms. Swati Bhadauria)

“However, to my utter surprise, within a period of two months, he started reciting poems and taking interest in various activities of the school. His overall psychological development started to reflect in his behavior.”

One Thing Led To Another

The single act of the area DM putting her child in an anganwadi school started a chain reaction of sorts.

Ms. Bhaduria started visiting the Anganwadi on a regular basis- as a parent, and not as a senior Government functionary. She said, “I started getting feedback from the Anganwadi workers about the things which needed to be improved. One of those things was the mid-day meal. Due to the unavailability of a gas stove in the school, the workers used to get food from their own houses.” The DM helped the school by providing a gas stove, but that was not the end of all the problems. Within 20-25 days she got herself acquainted with a number of other pressing issues.

To come to grips with the issues, Ms. Bhaduria launched the project ‘Bachpan – Better Anganwadi for Childhood Progress and Nourishment’

BACHPAN – ‘Better Anganwadi for Childhood Progress and Nourishment’ (Photo Courtesy: Ms. Swati Bhadauria)

Added the DM, “As there was no provision of electricity in anganwadi schools of Chamoli, we installed mini-solar plants in every anganwadi school in the district. We also started a cultural program called the Pratibha Divas in which students could participate and compete in dance and musical activities.”

Mini Solar Panels installed in anganwadi schools (Photo Courtesy: Ms. Swati Bhadauria)

This is how Ms. Bhaduria started solving one problem after another, and thus began the revamping of anganwadi schools. “The initial years of learning act as a solid foundation for the child. I really wanted to develop the Anganwadi, and end the commonly held perception that children are enrolled here just to get cooked food.’’

Once Ms. Bhaduria involved herself in the affairs of anganwadi schools, there was no looking back. She said, “We also started an activity-based module with the assistance of the Education department and Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). In this, the teachers used to teach students in creative ways that would create a positive atmosphere overall. For example, they were taught rhymes with the help of audio kits in both Hindi and English. This would amuse the children and lead to developing an interest in learning.”

Activity Based Learning Module (Photo Courtesy: Ms. Swati Bhadauria)

Apart from this, Ms. Bhadauria has also initiated a coaching center for the people belonging from the economically weaker section. She said, “We conduct exams of the candidates who had enrolled for the coaching, out of which the successful candidates are given a chance to study for free. Our teachers are also given fixed salaried from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund. The faculty members are selected from various cities of Uttarakhand like Dehradun and Haridwar.”

Others In The Growing List

Awanish Sharan an IAS officer of 2009-batch who is currently the District Collector of Kabirdham in Chhattisgarh has also made a strong statement by sending his daughter to an Anganwadi for the initial six months and then admitting her to a government school. The fact is, when children of civil servants enter a government elementary school, the overall atmosphere of the school changes, and it acts as a motivation for the children as well as the teachers.

Mr. Awanish Sharan with his daughter

Another example is of an IAS officer of 2012 batch from Madhya Pradesh cadre, Mr. Pankaj Jain, who also sent his daughter, Pankhuri to an Anganwadi school. This decision of Mr. Jain was highly appreciated by many other officers. After the enrollment of Pankhuri, children of other officers were also enrolled in the Anganwadi schools which led to the overall development of the schools all over the district.

When the officers started visiting the Anganwadi, the self-motivation among the staff increased which resulted in the overall growth of the schools.

More Pressure In Private Schools

District Collector (DC) of East Sikkim, Mr. Raj Yadav, a 2009 batch IAS officer, has admitted his two children in a government school. In a telephonic conversation with  Indian Masterminds, he said “I sent my children to a private school for the initial six months, but found them to be under too much mental pressure. I then shifted them to  Government school in Sikkim.”.

Mr Yadav’s daughter Jyoti, studied in a government school till third standard and son Aryan till class two.

Mr. Raj Yadav’s son Aryan
Mr. Raj Yadav’s Daughter Jyoti

More than anything, it’s the message these bureaucrats have been sending which has struck home. The message is clear: when it comes to imparting quality education, a government school is second to none.


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
MP CM Collector Award Niti Aayog
Sampurnata Abhiyan: Madhya Pradesh Leads NITI Aayog Campaign; Collectors from 8 Districts Win Gold
Mohan Yadav
MP CM Mohan Yadav Pushes for Sustainable, Community-Driven Rural Water Policy; Targets 100% Tap Coverage by March 2027
Ajay Bhadoo IAS
IAS Ajay Bhadoo Gets Extended Term as DGFT - What It Means & His Career Journey
THDCIL_Receives_ABMS_Certification_for_Integrity_and_Transparency
THDC India (THDCIL) Awarded ISO 37001:2016 Anti-Bribery Certification by BIS - Details Inside
Ministry of Environment
Environment Ministry Clarifies Petrol Vehicle Tender, Cites E-Vehicle Flexibility
Bokaro Steel Plant
PESB Selects Priya Ranjan to Head Bokaro Steel Plant, SAIL’s Key Production Unit
REC Limited wins ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC (DNA) Awards
REC Limited Bags ‘Best Design Thinking Award’ at 5th Distinguished NBFC Awards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
Resisted Flawed Schemes, Transferred Thrice In Three Months, Found Solace In Writing
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
IAS SVR Srinivas on Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Tough Calls, and the Real Power of IAS Officers | Video Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
Dharavi Redevelopment: IAS Minds Turning 100-Year-Old Slum into a Modern City | Video Interview
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IAS Minnu P M
“Lazy, Sleepy, Yet Determined”: Minnu P M’s Honest Take on Cracking UPSC
Minnu PM, once a clerk in Kerala Police, cleared UPSC with AIR 150 after five years of struggle. Her...
IPS Ashish Tiwari
From IIT and Investment Banking to Public Service, Meet IPS Ashish Tiwari 
Ashish Tiwari, IIT graduate and former investment banker, chose public service over global finance. As...
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-12 at 7.27
First Attempt IRS, Fourth Attempt IPS: The Relentless Pursuit of Jitendra Kumar Yadav Who Cracked UPSC 3 Times
IPS Yadav is originally from Chhattisgarh. He was first selected for the IRS through UPSC and later for...
Social Media
Masahiro Hara
From Go Board to Global Use, How QR Codes Changed the World: IRAS Officer Ananth Rupanagudi Spotlights Masahiro Hara’s Vision
IRAS officer Ananth Rupanagudi shared a video on Masahiro Hara, the inventor of QR codes, highlighting...
IFS Susanta Nanda Video
A Mother’s Duty: Tigress Watches Over Cubs Splashing in Waterhole — Heartwarming Video Shared By Retd. IFS Officer Susanta Nanda
A tender wildlife video shared by Retd. IFS officer Susanta Nanda shows a tigress keeping watch over...
Mohanmala
Kaziranga Mourns: Beloved Elephant Mohanmala Passes Away After Five Decades of Service
Kaziranga National Park mourns the loss of Mohanmala, a beloved elephant who served over 50 years as...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
IFS S Krithiga
Eco-Friendly Cottages, Tribal Cuisine, and Conservation: Inside Tamil Nadu’s Pachamalai Project
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC
NCST Holds Review Meeting with NHPC on Implementation of Safeguards for Scheduled Tribe Employees
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Dr
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-11 at 4.48
WhatsApp Image 2025-08-08 at 5.25
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT