Spreading the Model: Taking Assam’s Success Nationwide
- Aug. 26, 2025, 4:59 p.m.
The students of different Kendriya Vidyalayas in Assam are struggling with social anxiety, hyperactivity, low self-confidence, and fear of certain subjects, which has become an everyday reality. Assisting not only these three but thousands of others as well through performance anxiety, academic challenges, personal difficulties, and behavioural issues at home. The teachers stepped in as mentors, and 2,000+ students throughout the state have gained from this innovative mentorship programme. Each One Reach One recently finished its first year.
Chandrashekhar Azad, the Deputy Commissioner of KV Sangathan, Guwahati regional office, said that “Teachers invest their 100 per cent in the classroom, but not all students can follow as a few require extra guidance in academics, coping with peer pressure, parental expectations, and emotional struggles.” He explained that the programme is designed to hold students who require special attention, whether in behaviour, personal challenges, or studies impacting their mental well-being.
Last year, the thought took form while Azad interacted with board exam students. He asked them to anonymously write down their candid responses and biggest fears, which revealed anxieties about the future, the struggles beyond academics, subject-specific difficulties, family issues, and pressure from parents and peers. Azad established the Each One Reach One initiative for the 2024–25 sessions in response.
Without any formal allocation, principals, vice-principals, teachers, headmasters, and even 2 assistant commissioners adopted students for a year-long mentorship. 1,450 teachers adopted 2,260 students throughout 42 Kendriya Vidyalayas under the Guwahati regional office in its first year. Many teachers continue to instruct the same students in the second year. Between them, 183 Class 10 students accomplished a 99.5% pass rate, and 285 Class 12 students showed a 98.6% success rate.
Mentors found out the fundamental learning gaps as 21.7% with STEM subjects, 12.6% with attention and focus, 9.1% with behavioural & emotional concerns, and 29.4% of students faced literacy skills issues. Azad shared various success stories where two students from two different KVs were restless and hypersensitive when she joined school. Her teacher carried her energy positively, advocating for her to take part in activities and gradually assisting her to stand out in writing.
A Class 10 student in Guwahati faced troubles with Science & Maths when covering issues at home, and the mentor engaged her parents, helped her in academics, improved her performance, gained confidence, and overcame anxiety.
Social anxiety, lifestyle challenges, and low self-confidence had impacted her well-being of a KV student, IIT Guwahati. She has adopted time management techniques, received parental counselling, and followed better nutrition and sleep habits with mentorship. Now she had developed into a confident young student by the end of the session.
The Each One Reach One initiative has now earned nationwide attention, with various KV regional offices directing similar mentorship models inspired by the NEP 2020. Azad said, “Some ROs have implemented it already on a trial basis, and it’s promising to see this approach benefiting more students.”
