According to the annual report of the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023-24, nearly 2 crore children aged 14–18 years are not attending school, while around 11% of children in Grades 3–8 remain out of school. In this context, open schooling in India has emerged as a critical alternative education pathway for children, adolescents, and young adults who are unable to continue in conventional schooling systems due to barriers such as poverty, migration, gender disparity, caregiving responsibilities, disability, and geographic access.
At the centre of this ecosystem is the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS), the world’s largest open schooling board. NIOS offers flexible admissions, multiple opportunities to clear examinations, vocational and skill-based courses aligned with employability, inclusive provisions for Divyang learners, and certifications recognised on par with other national and state boards.
Building on this framework, several organisations in partnership with state governments, State Open Schools, and NIOS are working to bridge educational gaps across India by creating accessible second-chance learning opportunities for underserved communities.
1. Educate Girls
Established in 2007, Educate Girls focuses on mobilising communities for girls’ education across rural and educationally underserved regions of India. In partnership with the state governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar, the organisation runs its second-chance learning initiative, Project Pragati, for adolescent girls and young women aged 15-29.
Launched in 2021, Project Pragati addresses the educational gap for girls whose schooling was interrupted by creating structured, village-based learning camps that support learners in completing their Grade 10 education through government-run state open schools. Beyond academic instruction, the programme also integrates life skills, digital literacy, financial literacy, and confidence-building support.
With over 15,500 learners enrolled for Grade 10 examinations, Pragati has continued to scale across states. In Rajasthan alone, 12,000 learners were enrolled during the 2024–25 cohort. In Bihar, Educate Girls launched academic sessions for over 3,000 learners enrolled under the Bihar Board of Open Schooling, while Madhya Pradesh saw the launch of a pilot camp delivery model in Dhar district.
The organisation has also organised graduation ceremonies across six districts in Rajasthan to celebrate girls and young women completing their Grade 10 examinations through the Rajasthan State Open School Board, with over 1,400 learners returning to education and achieving this milestone.
2. Pratham Foundation
Pratham Foundation runs one of India’s largest second-chance education models in partnership with state governments and open schooling boards across Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka.
Its open schooling initiative operates through the Second Chance Program, originally launched in 2011 and later expanded into the Pratham–Jameel Second Chance Program in 2023. The programme focuses primarily on adolescent girls and young women who dropped out of school, helping them complete their Grade 10 certification through flexible learning systems and open school examinations.
For senior secondary learners, Pratham Open School provides free downloadable videos, reading material, games, and stories in 15 languages to support self-led learning pathways.
In 2024–25, Pratham reached over 80 lakh children through direct implementation and government partnerships. The organisation also empowered over 2.7 lakh girls and women through mothers’ groups and second-chance programmes, while reaching more than 1.2 lakh youth through vocational and non-vocational training courses.
3. CHETNA
CHETNA runs an open schooling programme in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh in collaboration with NIOS through its Open Basic Education (OBE) initiative, launched in 2008.
The programme supports school dropouts, out-of-school children, and working urban youth through flexible and distance-based learning systems. It is specifically designed for learners who are unable to participate in mainstream education because of social or economic barriers.
Over the years, CHETNA has expanded its outreach significantly. During 2024–25, the organisation operated 63 Education Clubs that served as centres for non-formal education and remedial learning programmes, benefiting approximately 7,500 children.
Notably, 1,324 children were mainstreamed into government schools during this period. Under its Open Basic Education programme, 81 learners received targeted academic support and guidance, of whom 77 successfully passed their OBE examinations.
4. Tamana
Tamana has been associated with NIOS since 1999 and became the first Special Accredited Centre of NIOS in India, marking a significant milestone in inclusive open schooling for children with disabilities and underserved learners.
Recognised by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India, and the Department of Social Welfare, Government of NCT Delhi, Tamana operates an NIOS-accredited programme in Delhi that offers Open Basic Education at Levels 3, 5, and 8, along with Secondary and Senior Secondary education under the NIOS framework.
The organisation’s long-standing association with open schooling reflects the role such systems can play in creating flexible and inclusive learning pathways for learners who may not fit into conventional classroom structures. While Tamana does not publicly disclose annual pass percentages or examination outcomes, it has sustained its NIOS-linked education model for over two decades.
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Why Open Schooling Matters Today
India’s open schooling ecosystem was originally designed to support learners whose educational journeys were interrupted by poverty, migration, caregiving responsibilities, disability, early marriage, or limited access to formal schools. Decades later, the need for these systems remains deeply relevant.
As India continues to confront challenges around dropout, adolescent learning continuity, and workforce participation, open schooling is increasingly emerging not as a secondary option, but as a necessary part of a more flexible and inclusive education ecosystem.