The Vinoba App, a flagship initiative of OpenLinks Foundation (OLF) founded by Sanjay Dalmia, is an example of how technology is transforming the educational landscape of rural India. This can be leveraged to improve student outcomes and educational standards towards 21st-century education, as per NEP 2020. Under the initiative called आचार्य बिनोवा भावे शिक्षक सहायक कार्यक्रम, Vinoba app seeks to leverage ‘technology’ and ‘behavioural
science’ to support and motivate teachers.
The app was piloted in Pune in April 2022 for Zila Parishad schools in the Pune district. It has been well received by teachers and administrators. Since then, it has been rolled out in 16 districts (9 in Maharashtra and 7 in Chhattisgarh), with over 28,000 Zila Parishad schools and over 1,05,000 teachers, impacting over 23 lakh students.
OBJECTIVES
For TEACHERS
Vinoba App seeks to improve learning outcomes by supporting, recognising, and motivating teachers.
• Teachers are key to improving student outcomes, especially for students from low-income households. Vinoba provides tools to simplify work and save time for teachers and administrators.
• Most schools have 2-3 teachers in remote rural areas and feel isolated. Vinoba aims to provide a platform for sharing and learning. It helps students get recognition from peers, cluster heads, and district administration.
• Teachers doing good work want to be noticed. They must be highly motivated. Vinoba provides tools for objective and transparent metrics to monitor and recognise good performers. Monthly recognition programs are facilitated at the district/block level.
For administrators
Vinoba App offers a de-centralized district implementation toolkit.
• The district is the key unit for rolling out programs announced by the state or centre. The district administration also runs additional programs based on the district’s unique context. Vinoba aims to empower administration and improve implementation efficiency with easy data collection and analysis.
• The district can run academic programs like Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN), Practice tests for classes 10th and 12th, entrance exams for JNV, Sainik schools, JEE etc., and scholarship exams for MCMS, NTSE, etc.
• The district can run and monitor Life Skills Programs such as Spoken English, Poetry recitation, storytelling, Kitchen gardening, Financial Literacy, etc.
PROGRAMMES SUPPORTED
Academic
• Practice Test – Scholarship, JNV, Sainik School Admission (Std 5th and 8th): In 2023-24, using OMR sheets, practice tests were conducted in 8 districts of Maharashtra, benefiting around 50,000 students. Over 1 lakh answer sheets, with over 15 million questions, were automatically corrected, saving teachers 31,163 hours. This allowed teachers to focus on identifying and addressing areas for improvement using detailed analysis.
• Foundational Literacy and Numeracy: Vinoba distributed FLN Teaching Learning Materials, which included weekly plans and testing instruments, to the Government of India’s goal of achieving universal FLN by 2025. In Gariaband district, monthly progress reports showed a 15% increase in Nipun students, indicating significant improvement in literacy and numeracy skills.
• Utkrisht Exam: This program, launched in Chhattisgarh, consists of monthly practice exams for classes 10th and 12th, with the goal of exam preparation and school performance assessment. In the Gariaband district, 7,090 Class 10th students and 4,500 Class 12th students participated in the monthly practice exams. This initiative improved student performance while providing teachers valuable administrative support and analysis.
Non-Academic
• Share and Learn: From June 2023 to June 2024, teachers shared 210,787 posts across all districts, facilitating peer learning and recognition. These posts highlighted teachers’ various activities and work in 16 districts, covering categories like Club Activities (Language Club, Maths Club, Arts and Crafts Club, Visits), Teaching Learning Material (TLM), and Teacher Stories.
• Spoken English: The Spoken English Program aims to help students confidently communicate about themselves using at least 10-15 statements in English. The program teaches communication skills through seven posters (My School, Rani’s Family, Animals and Colors, Fruits and Vegetables, Vehicles, and Story). Teachers encourage students to complete challenges and upload videos to the Vinoba app.
• Teacher Training Feedback: In January 2024, the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) held a five-day teacher training program in the Pune district to promote activity-based learning. Teachers submitted 960+ videos of new practices, which the administration will review and celebrate. DIET Principal Dr. Neha Belsare thanked the Vinoba team for compiling the videos, which saved administrative time.
• Book Distribution: Vinoba facilitated the distribution of free books to Zilla Parishad school students, addressing discrepancies in supply due to student turnover (dropouts and new admissions). The platform tracked distribution data, matching shortfalls and surpluses, optimising resource allocation and saving administrative time.
• Utkrisht Attendance: Vinoba contributed to monitoring daily and monthly student attendance in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur and Gariaband districts. This initiative not only improved attendance tracking but also identified topperforming schools based on attendance records at the district and block levels.
Also Read :- IT Solution for Take-Home Ration in Maharashtra
Teacher recognition
1. Three hundred thirty-four felicitation programs were conducted, during which 1,581 teachers were felicitated at the Block and District Levels. Based on their performance on the Vinoba App, government school teachers were recognised for their dedication and hard work.
2. Points Redemption for Gifts: Teachers were able to redeem performance points on the app for gifts, including:
• Tea with Collector/CEO: Groups of 5 teachers with two students each were invited for tea with the Collector or CEO.
• CEO Visit to School: Schools could request a CEO visit for a general visit, meeting, or event.
• Visit to IT Company: 15 students accompanied by a teacher visited an IT company to interact with employees.
• Refurbished Laptops: Teachers had the option to request refurbished laptops.
• Radio Program ज्ञान गंगा : A weekly radio program featuring teacher stories to highlight their exemplary work.
CASE STUDY
An 8-week FLN-Nipun program was run in the Pune district. Over 11,000 teachers from 3,490 ZP schools (>95%) participated. 12,000+ students (8%) showed improvement.
Key problems addressed
• DIET provided testing instruments for eight weeks to classify students in Levels 1, 2, and 3 and daily activities. Circulating these on WhatsApp could have been more efficient for searching, but it clogs teachers’ phone memory. Vinoba helped resolve this problem.
• Also, data collection for baseline, midline, and endline was conducted on the Vinoba platform. The data and Analysis were promptly available to the CRCs, BRCs, and district administration.
• The well-performing teachers, schools and CRCs were quickly identified and recognised. Teachers also get peer and management appreciation for sharing their work and videos.
IMPACT
Over the last year, the Vinoba App under Open Links Foundation has significantly impacted the educational landscape in 17 districts across Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. Comprehensive training and resources have been provided to 1,09,466 teachers across states. It has also led to the strategic management of 2,956 clusters, which has allowed to streamline administrative processes and optimise educational service delivery. Teachers have saved 103,381 hours, with administrators saving 180,266 hours. This has enabled educators and administrators to focus more on impactful educational activities and less on administrative tasks, thereby increasing the effectiveness of our programs.
Insights shared by Ayush Prasad, IAS, Collector JALGAON, Government of Maharashtra
Be a part of Elets Collaborative Initiatives. Join Us for Upcoming Events and explore business opportunities. Like us on Facebook , connect with us on LinkedIn and follow us on Twitter, Instagram.
"Exciting news! Elets technomedia is now on WhatsApp Channels Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest insights!" Click here!
