IIM Bodh Gaya’s SPARSH 2.0 scales up rural education, reaches 568 students across 10 schools

Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Bodh Gaya, through its CSR and Social Innovation Committee, Pragati, has expanded its flagship education initiative, SPARSH 2.0. The programme grew from covering a single school in 2024 to serving 10 rural schools in 2026.

Implemented in collaboration with the Glad Bharat Foundation, the initiative receives financial support from Verizon India CSR. The project focuses on strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy skills while promoting overall development among rural schoolchildren across Gaya, Bihar.

Through this strategic outreach, SPARSH 2.0 now directly impacts 568 students. Guided by the vision of the institute's director, Vinita S. Sahay, the initiative brings together faculty members, student volunteers and implementation partners to support rural education.

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Rural education drive

The primary objective of SPARSH 2.0 is to develop core academic skills of students at primary level. The programme aims to address essential learning deficits in rural school settings through a focus on fundamental literacy and numeracy.

The initiative also has modules designed to promote balanced personal development in addition to core academic curriculum. Collaboration between academic institutions and non-governmental organisations in Bihar to provide specific education methods to primary students.

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Sustainable community impact

The initiative covers more than traditional academic subjects, with “mindfulness, creative learning and financial literacy to support children’s confidence, self-awareness and overall development,” as detailed in the official release. A special programme at the Primary School Srinagar Baijubigha has 17 students enrolled and prepares rural students for the entrance examination of the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV).

The need for these localised measures has been highlighted by the data from the Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024. The report found that “26.1% of Class III children in rural Bihar could read a Class II-level text, while approximately 37.4% could perform at least subtraction”

Additionally, the initiative “enables IIM Bodh Gaya students to apply classroom learning through community engagement, developing leadership, empathy and an understanding of local challenges". The project is led by Suresh K. G., chairperson of Pragati, and Ajith Tom James, co-chairperson, with CSR committee members Rajani Suresh and Amrit Panda.