(Commonwealth_India) In Delhi, something as simple as a QR code on a wall could change a child’s future. As part of a new education campaign, the Delhi government is using technology and community participation to bring children back to school—those who have never been enrolled or who have dropped out quietly, unnoticed.
This effort is part of an initiative called Shiksha Aarambh, run under the Samagra Shiksha-Delhi program. Its goal is both straightforward and ambitious: to ensure that no child in Delhi is left out of the classroom. What’s new is how it’s being done—with the help of digital forms accessed via QR codes pasted on public walls, near government schools, and in other community spaces.
Anyone—a parent, a neighbour, a shopkeeper, or a passerby—can scan the code using a phone and fill out a form to report a child who is not at school. The form is simple, available in both Hindi and English, and collects basic but important details: the child’s name, age, address, whether they have a disability, if they’ve migrated recently, whether they’ve worked, the last grade they attended, and why they’re no longer in school.
Sunita Yadav, the state project coordinator for Samagra Shiksha, explained that the campaign is particularly focused on finding children who are often missed, those who have never stepped into a classroom, and those who dropped out without anyone noticing. Children with disabilities, those who have migrated from other states, and those compelled to work to support their families often find themselves overlooked. This initiative is a way to find them quietly, respectfully, and efficiently.
Once the form is submitted, the data goes to Samagra Shiksha’s central team and is then passed on to a coordinator at the district level. From there, a process of verification begins. Teams reach out to the child and their family, connect them with the nearest school, and aim to complete admissions within just three days.
This digital outreach campaign complements a massive door-to-door summer survey that ran from mid-May to the end of June. Over 240 teams, including teachers, special educators, and local officials, were sent out across all 13 districts of Delhi. They knocked on doors, spoke to families, and urged people to use the QR code system if they knew of a child who wasn’t in school.
But finding the children is just the beginning. To support smooth enrolment and prevent bureaucratic delays, the education department had earlier instructed all government-run schools, including those under the Directorate of Education, the MCD, the NDMC, and the Delhi Cantonment Board, to set up Special Admission Cells. These teams, led by the school principal and supported by counsellors and resource coordinators, guide families through the process. They assist with paperwork, monitor the child’s attendance after admission, and offer additional academic support through bridge courses if necessary.
The goal is to get every identified child admitted by July 31, and the department has committed to continuing follow-ups through August to make sure no one is left behind. Officials say this is more than an enrolment drive; it’s a community effort to ensure that every child in Delhi, regardless of their background or circumstances, gets the opportunity to learn and thrive.
It’s a quiet but powerful change: a parent’s phone scan, a neighbour’s concern, or a teacher’s visit may be the turning point in a child’s life. Delhi is striving to expand the reach of education through both small digital initiatives and genuine human interaction.
