Vidyakshetra revives learning through experience and tradition | Fusion - WeRIndia

At Vidyakshetra in Bengaluru, learning rises from lived experience. Children weave on handlooms, shape clay, mix chemicals, and build simple machines.

The school encourages curiosity through activity rather than through rote lessons or heavy textbooks.

Created in 2016 by Muneet and Preethi Dhiman, Vidyakshetra offers an educational path rooted in Indian culture yet shaped for modern needs.

Each year, only 20 children join the school from hundreds of applicants. Selection focuses on the family’s alignment with the school’s philosophy.

According to Muneet, parents must accept a system without exams or standard textbooks. They must also value traditional practices and simple living.

The school thrives on community involvement. All families live close to the campus and take responsibility for several essential functions.

They run the kitchen, handle transportation, and support administrative tasks.

Some parents also help in creating learning materials and researching new modules.

Some parents say that they become long-term contributors who share the school’s mission to reshape education.

Vidyakshetra uses a flexible funding model. There are no fixed fees. Instead, the school presents its budget at the end of each academic year, and parents contribute what they can.

Additional support arrives through donations and CSR initiatives.

Its curriculum blends the National Open School framework with home-grown learning models.

For younger learners, the Panchakosha Vikas system guides teaching. One teacher leads all subjects for six years and connects concepts across disciplines.

Children explore 24 subjects and practice crafts like knitting, pottery, and music.

The campus also hosts science labs with hundreds of experiments that allow students to understand ideas through direct observation.

After age twelve, students enter the Samgr-Vikas-Vritti model. They work with individual timetables and develop analytical and creative thinking.

Without exam pressure, they try varied methods to solve problems and follow subjects that excite them.

Parents report strong outcomes. One parent notes that her daughter scored 94% in Grade 12 while spending more time on creative skills like natural dyeing and handloom work.

Vidyakshetra began as Muneet’s personal quest to restore meaningful connections with tradition and nature.

Today, more than 39 adults train to establish similar schools. At Vidyakshetra, learning grows from real experience and mindful practice.

Image Credit: Vidyakshetra Website Screenshot

Image Reference: https://vidyakshetra.org/