Bihar Government Unveils ‘Mission Daksh’ to Tackle Academic Lag Among 25 Lakh Students

Patna: In an ambitious move, the Bihar government is set to launch ‘Mission Daksh’ in December, aimed at addressing the academic struggles of nearly 25 lakh children who are significantly falling behind their peers in state-run schools. Incidentally, some of these students, despite reaching upper primary classes, are unable to read simple Hindi words.

Under the program, the state education department is instructing teachers to provide intensive mentoring to these academically challenged students in small batches of no more than five, with a stern warning that any negligence will result in disciplinary action.

On November 21, KK Pathak, the Additional Chief Secretary of education department, issued a directive to all district magistrates (DMs), urging them to oversee the daily progress of ‘Mission Daksh’ in their respective areas, starting from December 1. The directive further outlined the formation of district-wise monitoring committees, to be led by DMs, ensuring the effective implementation of the program.

The genesis of ‘Mission Daksh’ emerged during regular inspections by DMs that commenced in July, revealing a significant number of academically weak students across state-run schools.

“In light of these findings, the department has resolved to initiate ‘Mission Daksh’ from December 1 in all government schools across the state to enhance the academic performance of such students,” stated the directive.

Emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue, Pathak called for the prioritized identification of academically weak students. Subsequently, school principals will be tasked with organizing extra classes post-lunch, catering to no more than five students at a time. The targeted approach aims to provide individualized attention, allowing these students to grasp challenging concepts and bridge learning gaps.

“All 25 lakh (approximately) such academically weak students will participate in their final examinations in April 2024. Failure in these examinations will trigger strict departmental action against headmasters, principals, and teachers by the Education Department,” warned Pathak.

This initiative comes on the heels of a series of stringent measures taken by the Nitish Kumar government to enhance the quality of education in Bihar. In September, Pathak directed district education officers (DEOs) to engage with parents of students with less than 50 percent attendance and implement measures for improvement.