Adani Electricity and the Adani Foundation on Tuesday announced the completion of a multi-day summer learning camp for Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) school students in Mumbai under their corporate social responsibility initiative 'Utthan'. The programme was designed to bridge classroom education with hands-on vocational exposure, aligning with the NIPUN Bharat Mission and the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

What the Utthan Camp Covered

The camp centred on strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy (FLN) skills — a core objective of the NIPUN Bharat framework — while helping students connect academic learning to practical, everyday professions. Each day was structured around a specific theme that wove together scholastic activities and skill-based vocational interactions.

One session, titled 'Every Child Has a Story to Spark', cast students as 'Newsroom Explorers', tasking them with reading newspapers, identifying words, numbers, dates and prices, crafting headlines, and writing short reports. The session was paired with interactions with cobblers to illustrate the dignity of labour and the value of skilled trades.

Mathematics was brought to life through activities named 'Measurement Magic' and 'Market Masters', which had children measuring objects, comparing quantities, and participating in mock buying-and-selling exercises. Students also engaged directly with carpenters, electricians and vegetable vendors to see how numerical concepts operate in real professions.

Skills Beyond the Textbook

The camp extended beyond numeracy and literacy to cover creativity and communication through story-building sessions, reading circles, poster-making and public speaking exercises. Vocational interactions with tailors, blacksmiths, plumbers and nurses introduced children to concepts of craftsmanship, sustainability, healthcare and community service.

Concluding sessions were dedicated to developing problem-solving abilities, logical thinking, teamwork and a sense of social responsibility — competencies that NEP 2020 explicitly identifies as essential learning outcomes.

Voices from the Ground

Shivshankar R. Tiwari, Principal of Maharashtra Housing Board (MHB) Hindi 3 School in Malwani West, said the camp demonstrated how linking education to real-world skills could deepen its impact. 'This camp has shown us how classroom learning can be transformed when children are exposed to real-life skills. Our students not only improved their reading and numeracy but also developed confidence and respect for different professions. It is a true example of holistic education,' he said.

Pooja Bhaishankar Bhatt, a parent from MHB Hindi 3 School, Malwani East, noted visible changes in her child following the camp. 'She now reads newspapers at home and explains what she learned about measurements in the market. The camp has made learning joyful and practical,' she said.

Eram Javed Shaikh, a Class 4 student from MHB School, Malwani West, described the experience as both enjoyable and instructive. 'I liked the activity where we became reporters and wrote our own headlines. Meeting the carpenter and tailor was also fun because we saw how maths and reading are used in their work,' the student said.

Adani Group's Broader CSR Commitment

A representative of the Adani Group said the initiative reflected the organisation's conviction that education becomes more meaningful when children can connect learning to lived experience. The Utthan camp sits within a wider portfolio of community development programmes run by the Adani Foundation across education, health and livelihood sectors. With urban public school enrolment under pressure and foundational learning deficits well-documented in national assessments, initiatives that blend NEP 2020 goals with practical exposure are increasingly being viewed as a model for CSR-led education intervention.