Dantewada, Sept. 23 -- In a region marked by decades of violence and disruption, Aastha Vidya Mandir, also known as Aastha Gurukul, in Jawanga's Education City is offering children affected by conflict an opportunity to build a different future through education, stability and support.
The state-run residential school currently houses around 1,300 students from Classes I to XII. More than half are estimated to have been directly or indirectly affected by violence linked to Left-wing extremism (LWE). The school gives priority to children orphaned due to such violence, those whose parents were involved in the insurgency and students from affected areas of Dantewada and the wider Bastar region.
Principal Ravindra Panigrahi said official documents, including police certification of LWE-affected areas and FIR records concerning deaths of family members, are considered under the special admission criteria.
The school also provides counselling by experts to students affected by violence. IAS officers and other accomplished individuals interact with students through special lectures, Panigrahi said.
Following the CBSE curriculum, the school uses smart-screen systems for technology-based teaching. Its campus has separate residential facilities for boys and girls and an auditorium with a capacity of over 1,000 students.
Launched in 2013, the school receives infrastructure and operational support through NMDC's CSR funding, with annual operational expenditure around Rs 3.5 crore. Administration remains with the state government.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.