Bharti Airtel Foundation and the Northern Command of the Indian Army have reaffirmed their joint commitment to providing equitable, high-quality education to children in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh through the Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) programme.
The announcement followed a high-level meeting held on February 23 at the Northern Command headquarters in Udhampur between Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, SYSM, PVSM, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C), Northern Command, and Binu Nair, Chief Operating Officer of the Bharti Airtel Foundation.
For over nine years, the Bharti Airtel Foundation’s Quality Support Programme has collaborated with Northern Command to strengthen teacher capacity, enhance classroom practices, and expand student opportunities, helping to build a stronger and more resilient AGS ecosystem.
According to a release issued by the Foundation, the next phase of engagement will include the rollout of specially designed professional development courses for AGS educators through TheTeacherApp, its free digital learning platform focused on continuous teacher development.
These initiatives will align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and will be delivered through structured in-person training sessions, supplemented by ongoing digital access to TheTeacherApp. The customised programme will focus on strengthening inclusive foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) practices, building teacher confidence in using digital and AI-enabled learning tools, and nurturing educators to lead school-based professional learning initiatives.
The initiative reinforces the Foundation’s commitment to expanding access to quality capacity-building opportunities for educators in remote and underserved regions.
A key outcome of the meeting was the decision to establish dedicated Career Counselling Cells across Army Goodwill Schools. These cells will provide structured guidance, informed academic planning, and exposure to diverse higher education and vocational pathways, enabling students—especially from underserved communities—to make confident and informed career choices.
Both institutions also agreed to collaborate in engaging AGS students in emerging technology domains such as robotics and artificial intelligence, equipping them with future-ready skills aligned with evolving national and global workforce demands.
Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma said Army Goodwill Schools remain a cornerstone of the Army’s outreach in Jammu & Kashmir and that the collaboration with Bharti Airtel Foundation continues to strengthen their academic framework and future readiness. He added that the partnership enhances teacher development while broadening students’ horizons.
Binu Nair said the long-standing partnership reflects a shared vision of ensuring access to quality education and meaningful future pathways for every child. Through initiatives such as TheTeacherApp and strengthened career counselling systems, the Foundation aims to empower educators and students with the tools and confidence needed to succeed.
To mark the continued collaboration, a memento was presented to Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma. The Foundation also shared its Annual Report 2024–25 and detailed documentation of its 2025 capacity-building initiatives undertaken for Army Goodwill Schools under the partnership. (Agency)
