Anoop Bishnoi - Entrepreneur - Promoter at Bisco Ltd

Children today are safer than ever before in a variety of ways. Better public safety, less “stranger danger,” and more logic however the twenty-first century brings new challenges to child safety, particularly when considering the digital environment. Children are voracious consumers of digital technologies. Despite all of the opportunities provided by the digital world, such as playing, learning, and socializing, digital engagement poses risks to children’s safety that can have real-world consequences. Many risks in the digital world are analogous to those in the physical world. Bullies can reach their victims online just as easily as they can in the schoolyard. Children can be exposed to hate speech and racism through the virtual games they play, videos they watch, and communication apps they use. Some risks, however, are more specific to the digital environment, such as sending or receiving sexually explicit messages online, or the use and misuse of children’s data. Pop-ups in app

Since the Covid-19 pandemic hit the world, mental health has become a buzzword, and the awareness couldn’t have come at a better time. While the pandemic isolated the world’s population and focused attention on the self, mental well-being took the backseat; thanks to the modern lifestyle that disconnects us from ourselves, others, and nature. According to a recent NCERT survey, 81% of students attribute their anxiety to studies, exams, and results. Around half of all mental health problems in people appear by the age of 14, and one-third by the age of 25. Parental pressure, peer pressure arising from comparison by themselves or others, study and exam anxiety, bullying, gender dysphoria, substance abuse, relationship problems, and so on are common issues at this age that aggravate mental health issues. It Is a parent’s responsibility to be responsible for their child. This should include getting them the assistance they require. During the school year, however, students spend a signif

Social media has transformed the way we connect and communicate with one another both in our personal and professional lives. Teachers and administrators have recognized the value of social media in education. The best teachers are now embracing social media’s role in the classroom. If you ask what impact does social media have on education? The most significant advantage is engagement. “Many of us did not have to learn how to use social media safely and effectively as children. However, it is a reality for today’s children. The power they now wield did not previously exist. And that comes with awesome responsibilities as well as awesome consequences, which is why they need to be taught the ins and outs of the internet world.” Says Anoop Singh Bishnoi . Furthermore, the majority of social networking sites and resources are free! This is especially useful if you are a teacher with a limited budget for materials. It's not just beneficial to students. Social media can aid in the dev

What matters most when looking for work’ is a debate as old as higher education itself. Higher education is caught in a perplexing quandary. On the one hand, employers have expressed growing concern about the gap between education and employability. On the other hand, the cost of higher education is rapidly rising. It should come as no surprise that public perception of higher education in India has deteriorated in recent years, and academic institutions are embroiled in an increasingly polarized debate. The health of many academic institutions in India is precarious, indicating that structural issues are deeply ingrained. “One thing is certain: we are entering an era in which education is a lifelong endeavor. With today’s rapid pace of change, there are fewer and fewer jobs where you can expect the knowledge you gain in school or university to last you until retirement.” Says Anoop Singh Bishnoi, Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun. “The point I want to make is that the people w

  The fight for women’s rights dates back centuries, with movements of various sizes and shapes spanning generations of activists from every country around the world. One constant, however, has been the importance of education in driving progress for women’s and girls’ rights. Today, nearly two out of every three girls attend secondary school, compared to one out of every two in 1998, and two out of every three countries worldwide have achieved gender parity in primary education. Despite these gains, over 130 million girls worldwide are currently out of school. When girls do make it through the school gates, they are far too often the first to drop out, the first to be let down by the system. “To advance gender equality, a radically new and gender transformative approach to education is required. Gender equality in education is about more than just getting girls into school and keeping them there for a certain amount of time; it’s about what happens once they’re there, allowing the

Education has been recognised as a fundamental human right in a number of international conventions – A powerful tool for individual freedom and socioeconomic development. Despite a number of initiatives and significant progress over the years, many girls around the world continue to be denied the right to education. Globally, nine out of ten girls complete primary school, but only three out of four complete lower secondary school (roughly 9 years of education). Less than two-thirds of girls complete primary school in low-income countries, and only one-third complete lower secondary school. No country can advance without equal participation of women in social, political, economic, and other development initiatives. Female labour force participation rises as a result of education, resulting in faster economic growth. When women have equal access to quality education, they actively participate in business and economic activities, which helps to close the long-standing gender pay gap. “

Asia dominates the global market for private student coaching. Private tuitions account for more than 12% of annual household income in India. After-school private tuition is now as much a desi thing in India as chai. More and more people are choosing to do that extra bit of academic work in order to earn six-figure salaries, for the same reason children are being pushed into a system that emphasizes on grades and competition. The pressure to perform better, the skyrocketing cut-off marks for universities, and the overall increase in the number of people doing the same thing provide parents with an impetus to push their children harder to excel, to stay ahead of the pack. In a recent conversation with The Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun, Anoop Singh Bishnoi , he shared his thoughts about why he thinks private tuition is a necessity in our country. He said, “We all know that 30 students in each class is the ideal number for a good academic experience, however, with classroom siz

In India, girls face significant educational disparities. Inequalities in this demographic include low literacy rates and a lack of education. Many of these girls are raised with no expectation regarding education, they are conditioned to think that as they are most likely to become mothers if they chose so, education is not something they need. Educational disparities will become a cyclical, intergenerational issue. Cultural values, child marriage, a scarcity of feminine hygiene products, and child labor are all factors that contribute to a lack of education. Poverty, decreased child well-being, health issues, and increased domestic violence stem from many reasons but one of them being the continued lack of formal education among young females. “If she’s a girl, she is far more likely to be barred from attending school, forced to marry, forced to have children, and likely subjected to violence, with her voice undervalued, if heard at all and sadly that’s still the situation in many

We must reconsider our approach to education. Millions of children were already behind in their learning, even before the pandemic, whether they attended school or not. And we are now dealing with a growing learning crisis. “What inspires children to learn? If we want every student to reach their full potential, we must make them feel welcome and supported at school. That means inclusive classrooms and a collaborative approach from teachers, parents, and communities are required.” says Anoop Singh Bishnoi , Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun. While millions of students turned to online learning during the pandemic, millions more were denied access. We must close these gaps as soon as possible by investing in hardware, connectivity, learning technologies, teacher training, and parent support. “We owe it to each and every student to ensure that they are learning and learning well. Nothing is more important than equitable, accessible, high-quality education for all as the world trans

Consider your high school years for a moment. Which subjects do you find yourself returning to now that you’re an adult in the real world? You probably don’t use trigonometry, algebra, or calculus in your daily life. In all seriousness, it’s surprising that kids don’t learn about personal finance in school. Our children spend hours learning complex math to solve problems that do not exist in the real world, but they do not learn real-world skills like budgeting or avoiding consumer debt. “Schools must teach students real-world financial literacy in order to prepare them for better spending and borrowing in an escalating cost-of-living crisis,” says Anoop Singh Bishnoi . Many experts argue that the school education system does not need to teach pupils about real-world lessons because the system is designed to develop transferable skills. While there may be an argument within that (and the need for children to be able to figure things out on their own), as a society we have a respons

Who is in charge of keeping our children safe online? Yes, schools must play a role. They must back their anti-bullying policies with concrete procedures for dealing with incidents as they arise. Parents must have confidence that if something is brought to the attention of a school, they will be able to handle it and reach a resolution that benefits everyone involved. However, punishing the bully and appeasing the victim does little to address the core problem. Bringing a group of people to talk to our kids once a year about changing passwords and saying nice things online does little to quell their curiosity, ’selfie’ mindset, and often ‘act now, think later’ mentality. Yes, we must continue to make tech sites and creators aware of the dangers their sites pose and demand improved settings and safety measures. But we also know that these measures alone are insufficient to teach our children about how they interact online. More often, by the time the site comes to the knowledge of the

Everyone would want to invest in education if it were like a stock market. In today’s market, investors are content if their stocks return 5-10% per year…the return on investment in public education is more than anyone can imagine and probably cannot be put into numbers! For some reason, we have no problem understanding the long-term benefits of investing in bridges, roads, and other infrastructure, but we balk at the cost of investing in the next generation. The current positive trend in education financing is the result of decades of efforts by government bodies, bilateral and multilateral agencies, donors, civil society, and the private sector to improve access and quality of teaching and learning, allowing children and the youth to thrive in work and life. “Education must be seen as part of the solution to the economy’s rebuilding. Countries with more highly skilled workers fare better in tech-based, knowledge economies. The challenge is to help schools with the transformation

The education of adolescent girls is a major concern around the world. For far too long, millions of girls have been denied the right to education simply because they are female. Despite significant progress in closing the gender gap in primary education, significant barriers to adolescent girls’ education and empowerment still remain. The developing world’s adolescent girls are at the center of today’s global learning crisis. Globally, 600 million adolescent girls continue to face significant obstacles in gaining access to their right to education, while 130 million girls remain out of school. These are staggering figures that represent missed opportunities and broken dreams. Adolescence is a critical transitional period in a girl’s life as she approaches adulthood. According to Anoop Singh Bishnoi , “Adolescence magnifies the gender gap and entrenches norms that disproportionately create negative experiences for girls.” Many parts of the developing world, including India, have cult

In a country like India, where income and social inequalities abound, discussing multiple realities is especially important. We have one of the highest levels of inequality in the world, with the top 10% of Indians accounting for 55% of national income. Young urban Indians need to understand where they live, who grows their food, where their water and electricity come from, and who constructs the roads and buildings they use every day. They must see and question why everyone does not have the same access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities that they do. But, in order for our youth to begin to question, we must first provide them with the tools of information and empathy. It's not as if the curriculum ignores these concerns. A quick glance through a national board’s syllabus reveals words like ‘poverty,’ ‘national income,’ ‘labour,’ and more. These ideas are explained in textbooks, and projects are suggested to help students remember what they’ve learned. In pra

Education is heavily reliant on government-run/aided schools and non-governmental organizations for the vast majority of the rural population. However, rural areas continue to face a number of challenges that have a direct impact on the country’s literacy rate. To begin with, low incomes cause education to take a back seat. Parents frequently regard education as a cost rather than an investment. They would prefer that their children work and earn money. When it comes to higher education, the lack of good institutes nearby forces students to consider moving to cities, which increases their expenses. As a result, enrollment rates are low and dropout rates are high. In a recent conversation with Anoop Bishnoi , Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun, he shared his opinions about this and stressed on why rural education in India needs a comprehensive digital boost. He said, “The problem with rural education is that children have rarely seen adults who studied hard and succeeded, due to wh

In comparison to last year, the overall allocation for the education sector in the Union Budget 2023 has increased by around 8.3% to Rs 1.13 lakh crore. The Union Budget 2023-24, which places a strong emphasis on digitization and upskilling, appears to have overlooked several aspects that are thought to be critical to the growth of the education industry. Even though the budget for school education has increased by 16.51% to 68,804.85 crore in 2023, the ed-tech sector, which boosted learning during the pandemic has been completely ignored this year. “The lack of education technology in the Union Budget is a missed opportunity. Emerging technologies such as Ametaverse, augmented reality, and virtual reality (VR) have the potential to revolutionize education when used by ed-techs. By including the sector in the budget, the government would have demonstrated its commitment to providing students with access to cutting-edge technology.” Anoop Singh Bishnoi , Chairman of The Doon School, Deh

The digital age’s explosion of career options has made it exciting, but also difficult for India’s 12 million secondary school graduates and 37 million university students to choose between new career pathways and vocations. Choosing a career was not as difficult and complex two decades ago and now, following the Covid-19 pandemic’s popularization of WFH (work from home) and gig employment, a slew of futuristic professional and vocational options have emerged. Despite the fact that there is a career choice bonanza in the twenty-first century, there is little awareness of new-age fast-track professions among Indian parents and school/college leavers. Here’s what Anoop Singh Bishnoi , Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun, has to say about it, “Though Indian parents and students are becoming aware that there are numerous career options available these days, the majority of them are unaware of the educational qualifications required, as well as the growth and rapid advancement prospects

In India, how many policymakers, curriculum planners and developers, educators, and teachers have heard of “climate change education” (CCE)? How many of them can discuss its significance or believe it is necessary to include CCE in the school curriculum? The answer is, very few. India ranked last among 180 countries in the World Economic Forum’s Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2022, which measures countries’ environmental health and sustainability. Is it bothering us in any way? No, we have been unaffected by such reports because we believe that climate change is not our concern and nor do our television networks consider the climate crisis to be a topic worth reporting. As a result, our educational system places insufficient emphasis on climate change education and lacks a climate change curriculum; but how urgent is it to discuss climate action in classrooms? In a recent conversation with Anoop Singh Bishnoi , he expressed his concerns and said, “Unfortunately, India does not

School-aged children enjoy using the internet to watch videos, play games and communicate with friends and family. They could be using the internet for schoolwork and homework as well. But because school children are becoming more independent online and may go online unsupervised, they face more internet safety risks than younger children. Here's what Anoop Bishnoi , Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun, suggests we can do to teach kids how to be safe online. He said, “Inform your children that digital devices require special consideration. One approach is to make it a must that kids should always ask before going online or using a device, just as they would before walking over to a neighbor's house. A simple step like this can make a child aware of what they're doing; Create a schedule so that kids use their devices during times when you can provide the most oversight. One thing that many children don't realize about the online world is that it isn't private — tha

In India, poor quality education is the leading cause behind poor learning outcomes, eventually pushing children out of the educational system and leaving them vulnerable to child labor, abuse, and violence. Many classrooms still feature teacher-centered rote learning, corporal punishment, and discrimination. Here’s what Anoop Singh Bishnoi , a well-known entrepreneur, and educationist, has to say about this, “We must all agree that the pandemic did not cause the global learning crisis; it existed before the pandemic, COVID-19 just exacerbated it. Under-resourced schools, underpaid and under-qualified teachers, overcrowded classrooms, and antiquated curricula are jeopardizing our children’s ability to achieve their full potential. Our educational systems’ trajectory is, by definition, the trajectory of our future. We must reverse current trends or face the consequences of not educating an entire generation. Today’s lack of learning means fewer opportunities tomorrow. A priority is to e