Anoop Bishnoi - Entrepreneur - Promoter at Bisco Ltd

Education is a public good, it should be a right, not a privilege. Despite this, 61 million children, the majority of whom are girls, are not enrolled in school. Educating children, no matter where they live, is one of the most important steps we can take to end extreme poverty. “We will not have an equal society until we achieve equality in education. More educated people are needed in today’s society to help bring peace and prosperity to the world. It is critical not only for economic reasons but also because we owe it to children to fulfill their right to an education. This means we must find ways to include the children who are currently absent from school. This means that we need more teachers, more classrooms, ongoing teacher training, a variety of educational materials, and an effective curriculum to ensure that children can read and write when they leave school and that they have the basic skills they need to participate effectively in their communities,” says Anoop Singh Bishn...

Women have made some of the most remarkable scientific breakthroughs in history. Their stories are rarely told, but it only takes a little digging to find women who have excelled in science, technology, engineering, and maths, and still somehow women continue to be underrepresented in STEM. However, if such gaps are not due to differences in intellectual ability, what factors explain why they do not pursue education and careers in these fields? When it comes to ensuring that the next generation of women feels empowered to close the gender gap, there are some powerful lessons to be learned about what works and what doesn’t. “Young women require relatable role models. Today’s girls are fortunate to have many accomplished women to look up to. We must honor these trailblazers and share their stories with young women to demonstrate that STEM careers are open to anyone who has the curiosity and desire to pursue one. Girls may doubt their ability to turn their interest in STEM subjects into a...

While the number of illiterate youth has decreased from 170 million to 115 million, nonetheless, the gender gap in literacy rates has remained relatively stable. For example, India has a significant gender disparity. Approximately 75% of Indian men have at least a basic level of literacy, while 51% of Indian women are literate. Some of the findings of a survey conducted among teachers, parents, and students to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards gender in the education space were as follows: most parents believe that nurturing and caring for children are basic responsibilities of women. Most parents believe that women tolerate violence for the sake of the family, and they point to symbols of sacrifice and compassion as evidence. According to 34% of parents, the main cause of sexual abuse is girls’ behavior and sartorial style. Around 40% of teachers also stated that they assign decoration tasks to girls and tangible physical tasks to boys. To address a deeply embedded ...

Last year, the Union government announced that all admissions to Central Universities for undergraduate courses would be decided by a Common University Entrance Test (CUET). The CUET’s goals are admirable, and it is likely that this will change the education landscape in a few years. After all, unreasonable high school cutoffs are a legitimate concern, and the CUET may, in the long run, level the playing field for students across the country. However, there are more arguments against the common entrance exam than for it. The concept of bringing uniformity to the admissions process via a centralized exam is not novel. In 2010, the Central University CET was used for admission to 1,500 seats in seven new Central universities. By 2020, the entrance examination had grown to include 14 new central universities and four state universities. The real question here is whether the Common Entrance Test is more discriminatory than the previous method of admitting students based on their performanc...

Are today’s teenagers prepared for life after high school? There’s a lot of talk about modern youth being less prepared for adulthood than their parent’s generation. Do you believe so too? If yes, read on to know why. Today’s teenagers are a perfect example of what can happen when parents coddle their children more than what’s necessary. They give their children everything. When you turned sixteen, you were considered extremely fortunate if you were allowed to drive your parents’ old beat-up car. If you desire something different, you would get a job and pay for it yourself because it would instill a sense of responsibility in you. Nowadays, 16-year-olds have everything in their hands, from the latest gadgets to flashy cars. As a result, teenagers are less prepared for life than ever before. Is it the responsibility of schools to fill in the gaps when parents fail to educate their children on fundamentals? “Education should be a collaborative effort between parents and educators. If ...

Parents in India are proud that their children are studying abroad and that they can afford it too and even though it feels like an achievement to a family, this, however, is only one side of the story. The other side of the coin is the story of ‘brain drain,’ in which brilliant Indian students choose to study abroad and eventually settle there, depleting the country’s pool of talented resources. The reason? Growing dissatisfaction among young Indians to find jobs matching their skills. “Of course moving abroad offers one better prospects in terms of compensation and skill upgradation, but it’s not the only reason why Indians choose to migrate. One of the main reasons for families to relocate out of India is the overall social safety net. The idea of a welfare state in which a family’s basic needs of education and health are met or are available at a reasonable cost is too good to pass up,” says Anoop Singh Bishnoi, Chairman of The Doon School, Dehradun.  To understand why...

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...