Delhi government honours 118 teachers, launches 'Nipun Sankalp'

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Friday felicitated 118 teachers with the State Teachers' Award 2025 and launched Nipun Sankalp, a programme aimed at strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy among schoolchildren. Marking Teachers' Day, the Directorate of Education also organised a special exhibition on educational initiatives and innovations at Tyagaraj Stadium, presenting Delhi's journey in education through 11 thematic stalls.

The stalls included displays on CM Shri Schools, Samagra Shiksha and Vidyanjali, vocational training, language labs, sports education, library initiatives, and the work of such schools as Sardar Patel and Bal Bharati. An entire section was dedicated to the newly launched Nipun Sankalp. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta visited each stall, interacted with students, and encouraged their innovations.

Pradhan said the way government schoolchildren were experimenting with ideas and engaging with modern technology was "a step towards Viksit Bharat (Developed India)." The exhibition also featured special attractions such as a grand installation of the National Emblem and a digital showcase, Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi (Heritage and Progress Together), tracing India's educational journey from the Vedic age to modern times, according to a statement.

Education Minister Ashish Sood said the day was a reminder of the larger purpose of education and the contribution of teachers in shaping future generations. He said the government has planned to convert all classrooms from classes 9 to 12 into smart classrooms and expand green initiatives such as the Ek Pedh Ke Naam 2.0 tree plantation campaign in schools.

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Two Delhi-based teachers -- Pinki, an assistant teacher with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and Deepsika Dandhu, a government school teacher — were given special recognition following recommendations from the Ministry of Education. "The Teachers' Day celebration is not just about honouring individuals, but about recognising the collective knowledge and dedication of educators who are driving change in classrooms," Sood said.

According to a statement, the Nipun Sankalp programme will use 21 tools to strengthen students' foundational skills in literacy and numeracy for children from class 1 to 8. The programme is aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and forms part of the broader NIPUN Bharat Mission. The initiative seeks to ensure that all students acquire essential literacy and numeracy skills by the end of class 3.