Welcome To Army Goodwill School

INDIAN ARMY: CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH

EDUCATION IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR


1. To facilitate provisioning of quality education to population affected by terrorism in J&K was identified as a “Key Result Area” by India Army in late 1990’s. The focus of Operation Sadbhavana in J&K accordingly encompassed improving the overall core social indices through Quality Education, Women and Youth Empowerment, Infrastructure Development and Health and Veterinary Care. A major thrust is to provide education to underprivileged sections of J&K in regions eluded by development.


2. Indian Army over the years has established 43 Army Goodwill Schools and rendered assistance to number of State Government run schools in remote areas through renovation, construction of additional class rooms, libraries, toilets, playgrounds, sports facilities, provisioning of furniture, computers, educational software packages, stationary, and books. Approximately one lakh fifty thousand plus students have benefitted in last 22 years wherein they have obtained middle and higher secondary level education.

3. The popularity of Army Goodwill Schools can be measured by the fact that there is a growing clamor by local population for opening more such schools and approximately 14500 students are currently obtaining quality education in primary/ higher secondary levels. Approximately 1500 students from economically weaker sections are receiving scholarships, the total value of which is a little above five crores for studies in schools within and outside the State. Most of the students benefitting from these scholarship schemes have also been assisted in obtaining admissions in institutes outside of Jammu and Kashmir. Besides imparting quality education the Goodwill Schools are also providing employment to qualified youth of the State. As on date nearly 1000 teaching and non teaching staff is employed in various Goodwill schools.


4. Over the years, the Army has expanded the scope of this operation and has made tremendous efforts to help these students exploit opportunities to pursue higher education. The ‘Kashmir Super 50 (Engg)’ project is one such initiative, modeled after the well-known and popular ‘Super 30 (Med)’ programme. The army partnered with the Centre for Social Responsibility and Leadership, and launched this project in the academic year 2013-2014. A total of 208 students have undergone coaching till 2019 in the institution with 182 getting selected in various engineering colleges across india


5. Encouraged by the positive result, another education initiative was started under “Kashmir Super 30 (Med)” in 2018 wherein Army partnered with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) & National Integrity & Education Development Organisation (NIEDO) for prep students for NEET. 35 students appeared NEET in May 2019 and 30 students cleared the exams (09 students selected in MBBS & three in BDS in J & K colleges and 09 students took admission in other professional colleges outside J & K).


6. Initiatives likes these are reassuring not only because of the positive numbers and results, but also because in these initiatives exists a possibility of socially uplifting a section of the society which not only suffers socioeconomically but also lives under a constant threat of geopolitical instability. Education is a tool that might prove to be very effective in encouraging social mobility. The initiatives undertaken through Operation Sadbhavna - from large-scale schooling efforts of Army Goodwill Schools to the ‘Kashmir Super 50’ and “Kashmir Super 30” project- may as well be testimony to the fact.

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