Udaipur: Vidya Bharati Akhil Bharatiya Shiksha Sansthan is working to integrate education with Indian values, culture and character building while focusing on the holistic development of students, Vidya Bharati Rajasthan's regional publicity chief Naveen Kumar said here on Sunday.
Addressing a press conference organised in connection with the provincial management committee conference, Mr. Kumar said education should not be limited to academic learning and preparation for employment, but should also help develop a sense of responsibility, discipline, service and social commitment among students.
He said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 had laid emphasis on making education more holistic, multidisciplinary and learner-centric. According to him, several of the policy's focus areas, including the Indian knowledge system, experiential learning, skill development, use of Indian languages and holistic personality development, were aligned with Vidya Bharati's longstanding approach to education.
“Education should help a student understand his or her responsibilities towards society and the nation, apart from developing academic and professional capabilities,” Mr. Kumar said.
Vidya Bharati's educational journey began in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, in 1952. The organisation now runs schools and informal education centres in different parts of the country, with a focus on extending educational opportunities to rural, tribal and underserved communities.
Mr. Kumar said the Chittor province of Vidya Bharati covered areas including Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, Chittorgarh, Bhilwara and Ajmer. The province currently has 38 primary, 85 upper-primary, 76 secondary and 35 senior-secondary schools.
He said expanding access to education in tribal and rural areas remained one of the organisation's priorities. In addition to formal schools, Vidya Bharati was working through Sanskar Kendras, single-teacher schools and other educational initiatives.
Special attention was also being given to activities such as yoga, music, Sanskrit, moral education and other co-curricular programmes in tribal areas, he said.
Focus on holistic learning
Referring to the NEP, Mr. Kumar said the emphasis on local context, Indian languages, skill-based learning and holistic development provided an opportunity to further connect education with students' social and cultural environment.
“Modern knowledge and skills have to go hand in hand with an understanding of one's cultural roots and social responsibilities,” he said.
The press conference also highlighted various programmes undertaken by Vidya Bharati, including the Saptashakti Sangam programme. The organisation's ‘Vande Mataram’ programme held on September 25, 2026, and the participation it received across the country were also discussed.
Mr. Kumar said the organisation aimed to nurture a generation that was physically, mentally, intellectually and spiritually equipped to contribute to society and nation-building.
He said Vidya Bharati's emphasis on education along with values, service and character formation was intended to complement academic learning and prepare students to respond responsibly to the changing needs of society.
The press conference, organised by the publicity department of Vidya Bharati Chittor province, also provided details of the organisation's forthcoming educational programmes and activities in the region.