The education sector in India has grown tremendously since independence. In fact, there have been significant improvements made across different indicators in the sector. This has only magnified since 2002 when the right to education was added as a Fundamental Right in Article 21-A in the Constitution of India.

India has been successful in achieving near-universal access for 199 million children, school infrastructure has increased to 1.4 million schools and 98% habitations in the country have an upper primary school within three kilometres walking distance.

However, several issues pertaining to the quality of education, the relevance of curriculum, lack of learning and accountability as well as non-committed or impassionate teachers have been hurdles in the evolution of the Indian education system.

While the government is working extensively towards solving these issues, contributions by the corporates have played a major role in addressing some of these issues effectively. In fact, the structured and strategic approach of businesses utilizing their CSR funds to address the issues within the education sector has generated long-term benefits for the country.

In the FY 2022-23, the Education sector received CSR funds worth Rs 13209.52 cr from a total of 13268 companies, with the state of Maharashtra receiving the highest share as per the Ministry of Corporate Affairs data. In this regard, let us take a look at some of the latest CSR initiatives enhancing education in India this year.

Top CSR initiatives for education

Kotak Kanya – IIT Bombay Scholarship

Kotak Education Foundation (KEF) – the CSR implementing agency of Kotak Mahindra Group, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IIT Bombay, on 12th August, 2024. In a bid to empower promising women from underserved communities of IIT Bombay and support their academic journeys, IIT Bombay and KEF have joined forces to offer an exclusive Kotak Kanya-IIT Bombay Scholarship.

The scholarship program aims to empower the girl students from IIT Bombay by providing them with financial support of INR 2.85 lakhs per year till the completion of their professional graduation course/degree, enabling them to pursue their higher education without financial constraints. Beside, Financial assistance, the scholarship facilitates holistic development of the scholars through intensive student engagement and finishing school activities.
Kotak Kanya IIT Bombay Scholarship Eligibility Criteria: Open for meritorious girls of IIT Bombay.

– Applicants must have scored 75% or more marks or equivalent CGPA in Class 12 board examinations.

– Applicant annual family income must be less than INR 5,00,000.

– Meritorious girls who have secured admission to the first year of graduation programs in the academic year 2024-25 at IIT Bombay for the graduation degrees like B.Tech, BS, B.Des and integrated Master’s program.

– Applicants must be within top 20,000 rank in the advanced Joint Entrance Examination (Adv. JEE)

AkzoNobel’s CSR Project transforming education in Punjab

AkzoNobel, a leading paints and coatings company and maker of Dulux Paints, recently celebrated five years of Project Parivartan – its flagship education initiative – in the Mohali district of Punjab with nearly 800 children and faculty of two Government High Schools at Mauli Baidwan and Saneta in the district.

Introduced in the Mohali district of Punjab in 2019 in partnership with the Department of School Education, Government of Punjab, Project Parivartan benefits nearly 2,000 children annually across five government high schools in the villages of Mattaur, Mauli Baidwan, Saneta, Balongi and Phase-V of the district.

With an integrated approach, Project Parivartan, supports students with supplementary education and provides life-skills trainings on topics such as mental wellness, child sexual abuse awareness and career counselling. Additionally, the paints manufacturing company has supported with infrastructure upgrades including provision of science laboratory and donated 2,000 liters of paint towards renovation of schools.

CSR support to enhance education in tea gardens of Assam

With an aim to boost educational opportunities of children residing in the tea gardens of Assam, the Government of Assam collaborated with a Public Charitable Trust, The Hans Foundation in July 2024. A MoU was signed between the Department of School Education, Assam, and The Hans Foundation with an aim to strengthen 100 Model Schools in tea garden areas.

Education Minister of Assam Ranoj Pegu informed on social media that a programme titled ‘Uttam Xikhya’ is being implemented which is aimed at transforming education in Assam with Academic support, Life skills education, Tech interventions, Career guidance, Infrastructure support and Stakeholder engagement especially in underserved areas such as tea gardens.

The “Uttam Xikhya” initiative aims to elevate education for students in grades 6-12, aligning with the PM SHRI initiative. The programme will be implemented in a phased manner to ensure a systematic execution. Students will have to go through continuous assessment to track their progress.

CSR of Hindustan Zinc to boost education in Rajasthan

Hindustan Zinc Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Education, Government of Rajasthan in November 2024. The MoU commits to an investment of Rs 36 crore over the next five years for the development of education in the state.

The investment will be focused on 72 government schools under its flagship education initiative, Shiksha Sambal program. The company aims to enhance the quality of education through various development programs, including teacher training, infrastructure improvement, and vocational training. The key focus areas will include holistic student development through Shiksha Sambal, model schools equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, and career counseling in line with the National Educational Policy 2020.

The Shiksha Sambal program, Hindustan Zinc’s flagship education-focused CSR initiative, has been running since 2008 in collaboration with Vidya Bhawan Society. It aims to strengthen the conceptual knowledge of rural students, significantly enhancing their learning outcomes. The program also focuses on providing additional training to government teachers, ensuring improved educational standards in the region.

CSR of Marico to boost education in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan

Nihar Shanti Pathshala Funwala (NSPF) program is a flagship CSR initiative of FMCG Company Marico Limited. Recognizing that many teachers in underserved regions lack business language proficiency, NSPF’s education Program upskills and empowers them through targeted training and innovative teaching materials. Aligned with FLN and NIPUN Bharat, the program enhances teachers’ subject knowledge, boosting students’ reading, spelling, vocabulary, and comprehension skills. It combines digital and offline tools to create an engaging, rural-focused learning environment.

The CSR project has been enhancing education across government schools in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand through dedicated teacher engagement and support. Across the three states – Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, NSPF has trained teachers from 1.31 lakh schools and over 15 lakh students, as per an announcement made by Marico Ltd. This represents 85% of the total schools in these states. Additionally, 94% of the schools that NSPF works with are rural.

Currently active in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan (Alwar), NSPF is set to expand its footprint with ambitious future goals to support more teachers and students across India.