– Murli Krishna, Founder & Chairman, Vikash Group of Institutions
Education across the globe has evolved along with civilisations. Over time, we have transitioned from gurukuls to traditional schools to online schools. It has not been easy adapting to all the major upgrades that came along the way.
Overcoming all hurdles, Vikash Group – now a brand name of global repute – forayed into the education sector in 2002 and today plays a significant role in equipping children from the kindergarten through postgraduate level with the values and skill set that helps develop character and prepare the young minds for life’s challenges.
To cater to the needs of the next-gen students and to ensure their holistic development our institutions are sited on sprawling state-of-the-art campuses nestled amid sylvan surroundings.
Having started with a small batch of 52 students, Vikash Group of Institutions – with campuses in Bargarh, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur, Bhawanipatna, Rourkela and Jharsuguda (Odisha) – presently has a student strength of 15,000 of which 6000 are boarders.
Being a residential set up, our objective is to offer students a warm, caring, culturally-enriching and enjoyable learning environment and to achieve this, residential accommodation is made available for the teachers and administrative staff within the campus. Regular contact between teachers and students contributes to the strong emotional and mental growth of the child.
Evolving with the changing times to Redesign the future
Education is not about competence but more about motivation. We at Vikash strongly believe that each child is unique and has tremendous potential to do well in life. In an era where digitisation is the new normal and virtual reality is more real, passion is the only launch-pad from where the student can take off to soar to unimaginable heights.
We are always exploring ways to provide diverse opportunities to the students so that they can excel in the field of their choice. We designed our syllabus with the spirit of CCE – Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation even before it was implemented by the CBSE to make our students ready for the unexpected challenges ahead at that time. Before the National Education Policy became effective, we strongly advocated creativity, innovation and personality development of the students rather than expecting them to score high and memorise content without conceptual understanding.
Rethinking pedagogy is crucial to address the new competencies that today’s learners need to excel in a highly competitive world. So, from toddlers to the middle school, we follow a curriculum designed in-house by our teachers. Art integrated learning, Experiential learning along with Bloom’s Taxonomy based academic process make learning joyful and promotes creative thinking besides making learning personalised for every student.
Moreover, the Techno programme for classes VI to X enable the students to pursue a skill-oriented academic pursuit. Students are also encouraged to participate in science exhibitions, NCSE, INSPIRE Camps which nurtures their scientific temperament, helps them to think out of the box and piques their interest in research work.
Metamorphosis of teaching and learning
We found opportunities in chaos during the uncertain times of the Covid 19 pandemic; we re-invented ourselves, especially in delivering the blended model of education. The process of tutoring in an online, virtual, or networked environment was very effectively delivered in which teachers and learners actively participated. The most remarkable attribute is the indigenously developed VIDYA Portal, an online platform for the students. It has been created as a digital ecosystem where each student is provided with a unique ID and password to optimise communication with all our stakeholders through academic activities, assignments, tests, information etc.
Centralised Integrated Sr.Sec. Academic Programme: Foundation of a Great Future
Preparing Senior Secondary students for entrance and competitive exams through Centralized Integrated Academic Programme helps to strengthen the education system and the confidence of parents and students in the school education system. The output of research-based Senior Secondary academic structure is clearly evident in the meritorious performance of students in their first attempt in the IIT, NEET, KVPY, NISER, IISER etc along with their AISSCE excellent performance. The illustrious alumni of this prestigious institution have reached the top echelons of the society.
Mentoring the mentors for better outcome
Human resource is inevitably important for the growth and welfare of an organisation. Keeping this in view, Vikash always opens new vistas for the teachers by organising in-house Annual Professional Development Workshop: Gurukul by eminent academicians from across the country that takes the teachers through a process of unlearning the traditional pedagogy to re-learn how to teach through the recommended experiential learning approaches that encourage observation, experimentation and critical thinking by learners and also draws upon their prior knowledge to make connections and learn.
Healthy environment ensures a healthy mind
Vikash campuses are beautifully landscaped green campuses. Our campus at Bargarh was honoured with “Prakruti Mitra” Award by The Government of Odisha.
Almost all our campuses were redesigned to fulfill their energy requirements by utilising on-campus renewable and biomass resources including the campus waste. Installation of solar panels, bio-gas plant, central RO plant and sewage treatment plants demonstrates our commitment to sustainable and eco-friendly practices.
Synergy between curricular and co-curricular activities
To equip the students for a life beyond the boundaries of a classroom, our campuses are adorned with spectacular infrastructure including cricket field approved by BCCI, badminton, lawn tennis and basketball courts, swimming pool, art and craft room, etc. Students are trained through specialised training sessions by qualified professionals. The generous investment in a world class infrastructure has helped us reap rich dividends. Para-badminton athlete Padma Shri and Arjuna Awardee’s. Pramod Bhagat and Rahul Chodhury, who represented Odisha in CK Naidu Trophy, are alumni who have made us proud.
Our educational venture is poised to charter new territories with various path-breaking reforms that transcend different stages — from enrolment to enlightenment. With the objective of creating a vibrant ecosystem for our students, we are marching ahead to mould future-ready individuals.
